Secret Alice
by hurricaneblast
Summary: Mikan Sakura was having a stroll when a man pleaded her to steal his alice. So what is this alice? Will she even be able to realise her alice? Read to find out.
1. Late Again

Mikan Sakura had 2 alices originally. Not until recently.

It was 1:00am yet she couldn't sleep. Why? She woke up early in the morning the day before to catch some fresh air outside, when an old man, aged about 60 approached her. He was panting, and looked out of breath, as if running away from something. Then, it happened.

He pleaded her to _steal_ his alice. Mikan never ever stole anyone's alice before. Not on purpose anyway. She hesitated for a few moments, then, unwillingly, she stole his alice, not because she wanted to, but because she felt sorry for the old man who actually begged her to steal his alice. His face was filled with fear, and sadness.

That was it. Up to now, she couldn't help thinking about the man, and what his alice was. Or should I say,_ her_ alice was. How could she have forgotten to ask? But then the man quickly ran away anyway, leaving her shocked and very curious/ Who was the man? How did he know she could steal alices?

When the next morning came, Mikan was late. Had she not bumped into a repairing alice person, Natsume, and some super strength alice person, she would have been early.

The chain of events were like this:

She woke up 25 minutes after the time she usually wakes up. She quickly rushed, and by the time she left the house, she realized she only had 5 minutes left, thus, making her run with full speed to the classroom. It wasn't that the classroom was far away-there were just people on the way. The first one, was a girl with a repairing alice, but Mikan did not pay much attention to her. The second one was Natsume. She just got past the girl when Natsume came and- _WHACK_

Her head hit Natsume's palm with raging fire. Having the nullification alice was such a fortunate thing. She did not get burnt whatsoever.

Natsume however, was annoyed.

Mikan sighed in exasperation. Shouldn't she be the one who should get angry?

"Oi polka dots, there's something called getting on the way," he said gruffly.

"In case you don't know what you're doing," he added.

"And there's something called making me late. In case…You don't know what it means," said Mikan.

"You're always late."

"No I'm n-not!" said Mikan defensively.

"Oh really? Well what do you call what happened yesterday? On Tuesday, Friday, or possibly, even the week before?" he said, sneering.

"Oh no!" said Mikan.

'_How could I have forgotten the time? I wasted it all on this pointless conversation!' _thought Mikan.

She was about to go. She looked at her watch. She had 20 seconds left….

15, 14, 13, 12, 11……

She turned right…

8, 7,-

She was almost there-

6, 5-

She was only a second away from the room-!

A man came in front of her, with some super strength alice, carrying book shelf.

'_Not now, no, not now…..Please, out of the way…' _Mikan thought, wishing he could get out of the way.

3, 2,-"

"NO!" Mikan yelled in frustration.

Everyone looked at her…

Ooops….

Mikan rushed into the room, but too late. She was already greeted by Jinno-sensei with a smirk that only meant one thing. She was in trouble. Again.

Damn Natsume.

* * *

Apparently, Natsume was also late, so in a way, Mikan was glad that she had someone who'd help her with the tasks. The tasks we're usually pretty simple, and she usually had a lot of people to help them, but apparently, only 3 people were late, including herself. Besides Natsume, the other girl's name was Veronica. She had the alice of water. Mikan knew her pretty well. She always done tasks with her, as they were both usually late in class. 

She had to do a couple of tasks, and it was set out like this:

1. Sweep the area underneath the grand piano.

2. Light the candles on the table.

3. Fix the broken vase

4. Feed Cindy at 3:00pm (Cindy is in Room 4D)

5. Wash the dishes

6. Boil water and bring it at the teachers lounge in 3:04 please. And underneath that was: "Please be prompt. We don't want to miss tea," came scruffy handwriting.

That was it. It looked pretty simple to Mikan.

"I'm glad the tasks are simple today," Mikan said happily.

"Who's Cindy?" asked Veronica.

"Beats me. Another rabbit I suppose," replied Mikan. She liked feedings the rabbits. They were cute! Plus, they reminded her or Ruka.

"Oi, polka," said Natsume

"What?" said Mikan.

"Did you just say the tasks were simple?"

"What does it sound like?"

"A load of crap."

"Well, so-rry that my voice doesn't appeal to your hearing," said Mikan irritated

"Apologizing? No need-"

"You two, stop it, please, we've got to be finished here by 3:20pm," said Veronica.

"These tasks aren't easy," said Natsume.

"But if it's too easy for you, you can do them while I can rest, no problems here," added Natsume, smirking.

"Natsume-"

"Please! It's already 3:00!" came Veronica's voice.

Then the 3 of them started work.

* * *

"Now how am I suppose to sweep this?" said Mikan, looking at the piano. Of course. It was a grand piano! Big and heavy. Now how was she able to forget that? 

"Having problems, polka? But of course not! They're too easy, are they not?" said Natsume, who just approached her. Natsume was the one who can annoy her to the highest extent- without a doubt.

"Of course not! I can carry this!" sad Mikan. Natsume raised his eyebrows.

Then she realized:_ That was a stupid remark_. How could she even think she could carry a grand piano just by herself? That was utterly foolish. How was she supposed to carry the piano now?

But somehow, she did it. With a single lift, with only a tiny bit of effort, she was able to lift it!

But how so?

_What the-? I could lift a grand piano?_

Natsume stared at her, surprised. Mikan smiled.

"I think you're forgetting. I'm Mikan Sakura. I can handle _anything_."

* * *

**Ok, my first fan fic! Is it ok?? I'm really sorry if its bad...Please review.! Thanks! **


	2. Difficulties with the task

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gakuen Alice!

* * *

Veronica was just in time to see exactly all the set of events.

"H-how?"

How? Mikan did not know either. Is it possible that she had another alice? Was it just luck? She felt confused herself.

"2 minutes left," said Natsume.

"What?"

"I said 2 minutes."

"2 minutes what?" asked Mikan, bewildered by the sudden change of topic.

"We need to boil the water and deliver to the teacher's lounge by 3:04, remember?"

"So?"

"So? So, where is the teacher's lounge?"

"There," pointed Mikan on the window.

"Oh," she said, realizing her stupidity.

She had not realized that the teacher's lounge was 5 minutes walk, and they didn't have enough time.

"I guess that makes it 1 minute and 30 seconds now," said Natsume.

"We need someone with teleportation alice," said Veronica

Mikan didn't seem to hear her.

"I need to go to the teacher's lounge!" said Mikan.

And she disappeared.

Next thing she knew, she was in the teacher's lounge.

* * *

**Natsume's POV:**

_What happened? Where the hell has she gone? She just disappeared….It was like….teleportation….But that's impossible…. But was it really? She just lifted a grand piano for god's sake! And she just smiled at me saying stuff about 'I can handle anything' when how many times has she been late? About a hundred times, how the hell did she _

_handle that?!_

**END OF POV**

* * *

"Where is she?" asked Veronica in a hoarse whisper.

Natsume was expressionless. He had been quite sure that what he saw was the teleportation alice.

'_Mikan doesn't have that alice!' _he told himself. And yet he was also quite convinced she had. But what does it all matter? She got herself into trouble again. Natsume always found himself concerned about her. She was just….so clumsy.

'_I guess trouble likes her so much. After all, her name is always glued to trouble of all sorts.'_

After 20 seconds, Mikan appeared back into the room out of nowhere.

"What happened?" asked Veronica in a tone that can only be identified as concern.

But Mikan could not speak. She was just in pure shock.

"I…"

'_What's happening to me?_' asked Mikan to herself.

"I j-just delivered the-the water," said Mikan.

"Are you okay?" Veronica asked.

Mikan just nodded.

No one spoke anymore.

And everything was just so quiet after that.

* * *

"What's taking you so long?" asked Natsume with great impatience.

"N-nothing!"

Cindy was…. a pig. And the pig was so huge and scary, she could not even approach Cindy. She was scared, but no choice, she had to feed her. She had thoughts whether to call Ruka or not. That seemed to be the only solution.

"Cindy-eat this-no, come over here!"

Cindy ran away from her.

And Mikan had to chase her around. She just wanted to get it over with. And Mikan had an ingenious plan. Well, she thought so anyway. She teleported to where Cindy was so quickly so she could catch up. But she decided to give up when she was really tired.

"Cindy, please eat this," said Mikan quietly. She was so tired.

And Cindy approached and ate. Mikan was shocked. That was no surprise anymore. Getting surprised wasn't new, since she was getting shocked a lot on that day.

"Thank you. I thought – well, you looked so scary…" said the pig.

"A pig that can talk?!" said Mikan aloud.

"…But you have the animal pheromone alice!" said the pig to her.

"What? Nonsense. I don't have such alice. That's Ruka-pyon's."

"Oi- baka- who are you talking to?" Natsume asked when he came in.

"Cindy," responded Mikan.

"She says I have the animal pheromone alice, impossible, right?" asked Mikan.

Natsume stared at her.

She was incredibly…dense.

_She can understand what the animal says and yet she thinks it's impossible she has animal pheromone? Is she crazy? What's all this so suddenly? Teleportation, super strength, and now… .animal pheromone? How many alices does she seriously have?!_

"You're still not finished?" asked Natsume, putting the thought aside.

"What do you mean_?" _said Mikan in exasperation.

_I_ had to chase Cindy around and feed her, while_ you _had to light candles!" she added.

"There were a hundred candles. Well why won't you count how many Cindys there are?" said Natsume in a sneer.

"Well that's because, the hundred candles you're saying are not moving," replied Mikan, sitting down on the ground and leaning on the wall to rest.

"I'm so tired," she said.

"I thought you said they were _easy_. And don't forget, Mikan Sakura can handle_ anything. _You're forgetting the dishes by the way."

"I know. There's 2 more things to do. I think I'll start with the vase," said Mikan.

"Well, I doubt you'd get finished if only you worked on it even for 10 minutes. That's an impossible task."

"Impossible? I'll just- glue them together!"

"Fix, Baka, Fix. Not glue together or put together in any way."

"Fix? But that's-The vase is broken!" said Mikan.

"Exactly."

"Exactly?! What do you mean?!"

"Don't you see? For every little task, we need alices!"

"Feeding Cindy?"

"Animal pheromone alice," he said.

"Boiling water, bringing to teacher's lounge?" asked Mikan

"Teleportation alice."

"We could've gone earlier though. Well how about the candles?"

"My alice, baka," he said.

"The vase-repair alice? But of course! They all fit! But….I don't have the repair alice."

"Really? Mikan Sakura can handle _anything_ after all."

"Oh –why wont you quit using that line against me!" said Mikan.

Natsume smirked. It annoyed Mikan so much.

'_She is just…amusing.'_

Then he came to assist Veronica with the dishes.

* * *

Second part...I updated quick- THere's nothing to do at home really. But the computer keeps restarting sometimes. We're having it fixed soon, I think.


	3. The Voice of the Unknown

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gakuen Alice at all!

* * *

"EH?!"

"What's wrong?!"

Veronica rushed to where Mikan was.

"…..The plates….They're all……" Mikan was just astounded. Never had she seen so much dishes.

"What's wrong?"

"So…many…."

"I know. We'll have to get finished soon, but I'll just use my alice so we can wash many dishes at once. If we'll work hard together, I'm sure we'll finish this soon," said Veronica.

Natsume was also helping them wash, but he was really quiet, but since it's Natsume, it's just normal.

The 2 of them didn't speak much. They were too busy trying to finish washing everything. They only a few words from time to time, but compare that to who Natsume didn't speak at all.

They finished the dishes at about 3:15, when they were really tired, but happy of what they had accomplished.

"I think that's pretty quick. We've got to hurry with the vase," said Mikan cheerfully, happy that they had almost finished.

"There's the vase after this. I really wanted to get it over with the vase, but …fixing something we can't fix is…pointless."

"Oh come on. We can still find a way. Let's ask someone with a repair alice," said Veronica.

Mikan, however, was trying to put the pieces together. But she couldn't. Suddenly, the broken pieces stuck together like magnet, and the vase looked as good as new.

Mikan jumped in shock.

"It's a miracle!" gasped Mikan. On the corner of the room, Natsume was staring at her, in confusion, and awe.

'_I wonder….If she realizes it's all her doing…_' thought Natsume.

"How many alices does she have?" asked Veronica to sounding amazed, but with voice only too soft for Mikan to hear.

* * *

As Mikan went to bed that night, she could help wondering about what happened on that day. She thought of 2 unusual things: 

1. She could carry a grand piano. BY HERSELF, NO EFFORT NEEDED WHATSOEVER

2. She could go to anywhere she wants in an instant.

She didn't brood much about the sudden repairing of the vase, as she didn't think it was her doing at all. To her, it was, well...A miracle.

How could she have possibly lifted a grand piano? To her, it was one of the wonders of the world. For instance-having an alice. How come other people don't?

Mikan froze. What was the word she just thought of…..?

Something like……

_…..chalice…no… alice…..What is it about that word ...?_

And with that she fell asleep.

* * *

Mikan woke up early the next morning. Fortunately, this time, she was early. But the reason of this was because of those birds... 

"_Never mind the reason…I better dress up," _Mikan thought.

After getting dressed up, being 30 minutes early, she quickly teleported (**without knowing she 'teleported' of course)** outside to pass time.

As she was walking, still thinking about a couple of things from last night, her attention drifted to Natsume. He was reading that manga of his again in a tree branch not far from her right.

Natsume... She did not hate him, no, not even after the millions of times he really annoyed her. Nor are they that close, but to her, he was a…special friend. Special in the sense of…I guess having a different friendship than all her other friends. Just…different. Yet still, he annoyed her to a certain extent that no one ever could do. For some reason she just couldn't hate him, no matter how annoyed she was.

"Hi!" said Mikan cheerfully.

Natsume didn't respond.

"_Someone's_ in a bad mood," said Mikan, slightly annoyed that she didn't get any reply.

"Hey Natsume," said Mikan, wanting to ask him a question.

"Mm," he said, without looking up.

"What do you think?"

"What?"

"I lifted a grand piano! Don't you think that was amazing?" said Mikan.

Mikan was expecting a reply, when Natsume asked another question completely unrelated to the last.

"Why are you up so early?" he asked. That was all he said.

"Those annoying roosters said 'wake-up'," said Mikan. Then she just realized how unusual that sounded.

-But it really was the roosters with their non-stop morning calls…_WTH? There were roosters outside?!_

"What?" asked Natsume, confused, even though the tone of his voice indicated that he was not interested at all.

"Huh? Oh…Never mind," said Mikan.

Mikan checked her watch. She'd better go, class was starting.

"Bye Natsume," said Mikan. And with that, she disappeared.

* * *

By the time classes ended, Mikan was really sleepy. 

However, it was only 3 hours later that she slept.

She tried to lie down and sleep, when…

"Help me!" Mikan heard.

"_What was that?" _she thought.

She ignored it for a few minutes, thinking it was probably only her imagination, when she heard the faint voice again.

Slowly, she crept out of her bed, and opened the door of her room…

* * *

**Mikan's POV**

_Where is that voice? I hear it, yet it's not anywhere close. The voice … It was a sweet, soft, pleading voice…_

_I felt my cheeks---tears?! WHY?! I felt so sorry for her…The voice seems to be experiencing-must have been feeling so much agony…I turned left, then right, then left again, nearer and nearer…… I heard it, loud and clear…I saw a light from the door …_

**END OF POV**

* * *

"Who's there?" asked Mikan nervously. 

Then, seeing the first person she saw-

"STOP IT!" Mikan cried, pushing the person away, eye shut.

"Arrgh—what-the—hell?!"

Mikan opened her eyes.

"Nat-Natsume?!" said Mikan, surprised, finally opening her eyes.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" he asked annoyed.

"The poor thing!" Mikan cried, hugging the rabbit next to Natsume.

"_Wait a second,"_ Mikan thought, sensing a familiar presence. Actually, it was the presence of 2 familiar people.

"Ruka-pyon, Hotaru!" said Mikan cheerfully.

"Sakura-san?" asked Ruka.

"Natsume, Ruka-pyon, Hotaru-What are you all doing here?" asked Mikan

"How about you? Aren't you wandering off too?" replied Natsume

"The-I heard-voice-wait, I'm the one asking the question here!" said Mikan indignantly.

Ruka however, only seemed to hear one word.

"Voice? What voice?"

"The- The rabbit! I mean I didn't know it was a rabbit, but-but it said-"

Mikan paused. How could she possibly explain she was hearing voices when the room was far away from hers? They'd think she was going crazy!

Mikan sat there, thinking of what she could possibly say.

"Don't just stare blankly, baka," said Hotaru.

"I…heard a voice….It was-a girl…she was asking for help and it was-it was a rabbit!" Mikan answered honestly.

"Mikan…" Hotaru said quietly.

The room was deadly silent for a few minutes.

"Sakura-san…you have...but how?" asked Ruka, astonished.

"Hotaru? Ruka-pyon? What's going on?" asked Mikan, confused.

"Sakura-san...Listen...Me and Natsume were just sitting quite a distance from this room…Then I heard a voice. It was asking for help. I quickly ran to find the room. Natsume followed me too after that, wondering where I'm going. By the time we entered the room, I saw the rabbit was stuck in between the 2 shelves. "

"So Ruka-pyon heard it too?" asked Mikan.

"But- Hotaru-why are you here?" Mikan then realised that that was out of the question. Hotaru was holding a weird invention. It might have been used to move the huge shelves.

"So did Natsume hear the voice?" she asked.

Ruka shook his head.

"Did Hotaru?" she asked.

Again, Ruka shook his head.

To Mikan, perhaps that only meant 2 things. Either Hotaru and Natsume were too absorbed in some work or something of the sort that they did not hear the voice, or that she was going insane.

Surely, this week was a lot weirder than the last...

* * *

**It took me a few days to do this chapter. I was thinking of the dialogue and events, but my head has been so blank this week!**

**Really, I planned other things ahead of the story, but I'm actually thinking of how to make it go towards what I planned. ****I got a lot of homewok yesterday and the day before, and finally, I've managed to add this in. The next chapter will come out soon. I've been planning it for a while.**

**Thanks everyone for all the reviews!**


	4. The locked room

**Disclaimer:** I do not ever ever ever own Gakuen Alice, or I'd have died from success.

* * *

"Sakura-san," said Ruka. 

"Yeah?"

Ruka however didn't seem to know what to say. Instead, he held out the rabbit.

"Sumi wants to know your name," he said.

"Sumi? How cuuuute!" said Mikan.

"Hello Sumi, my name's Mikan Sakura," she said.

"What? But you must be joking!" said Mikan.

Everyone looked at her.

"Are you sure?" asked Ruka.

Getting more puzzled by the minute, Hotaru and Natsume finally realized.

-Apparently, both Mikan and Ruka were talking to the rabbit.

"That's not very funny," said Mikan to the rabbit. She quickly went to the door, twisted the door knob, and pulled. However, expecting the door to open just like all the other doors, it did not open. She did it again and again, but to no success.

"Why-this cant be-open-UP!" said Mikan, trying to open the door, and now banging on it.

Natsume stood up.

"No, this really can't be. I'm stuck in here all night with an idiot," he said, making fire through his left hand.

"No, don't say that!" Mikan said, covering her ears.

"'_All night' seems sooo long…" _she thought, trying hard not to panic.

Mikan then drove her attention to Natsume, and wondered what he was making fire for, but then saw he was using it to burn the door.

"How is that going to help?" asked Mikan. "You're just going to burn-"

"Anti-alice door," he said simply

"What?"

"Any alice used on the door won't work. It's used for security purposes."

"But we have to get out of here!" cried Mikan in frustration.

"Have to? I don't see the need-"

"But obviously, you're too blind to see it-"

"Excuse me, are you talking about _me_?"

"Natsume, you don't have any sense of humour!"

"I think you mean common sense. IDI-OT."

"You are so-so-"

"So… What precisely? But you don't have to explain. It's expected. You have such a small vocabulary that you're running out of words to use."

……

Both of them were too busy arguing that they didn't see Hotaru aim her invention at them.

Then without warning-_**BOOM**_.

There was a thick cloud of smoke, and then Mikan came into view. Then Natsume. Both were thrown away a great distance from each other, pushed by some terrible force, coming from such a small invention.

It was clear that this invention hasn't been tested on anyone, or they'd have suffered some injury, and the aiming person would have known better than to fire. Hotaru, however, seemed confident that they wouldn't get hurt at all, because she showed not even the tiniest bit of worry or apprehension.

However, Ruka was the complete opposite.

"Natsume! Sakura-san!" he said in concern, and Sumi followed him as well.

"Let me introduce- The Baka-sept. They separate idiots. Since the shelves have no brain, I guess that makes it work on objects too."

"_Hotaru and her 'baka' starting word inventions," _thought Mikan.

"Ow-my head hurts, Hotaru." said Mikan.

"You'll live," said Hotaru simply.

Natsume stood up.

"What the hell was that for?!" he said, palm held out, ready to burn someone to crisp.

"I don't have time for stupid and pointless actions, so you better put down your fire now," said Hotaru firmly, aiming her little invention. She looked intimidating.

Natsume knowing better than to burn Hotaru, did not continue any more.

He didn't really want to burn her at all. How could he, Natsume, burn her, knowing full well that Mikan would KILL him?! Forget Mikan killing him, but Mikan would hate him, he couldn't bear that.

It was also a waste of energy. Only someone crazy would make that attempt. He only meant to scare her. _Wrong choice of person, I guess._

"…Sakura-san? Natsume? Are you ok?" asked Ruka.

"Sumi...Ruka-pyon...Yeah, thanks," said Mikan, standing up.

After a few minutes-

Mikan then went to the door again, then using all the energy she could muster-

_Bang_. "Anyone?!" cried Mikan. _Bang._ "Help us!" Bang. "Is anyone…. " _Bang._

"-there_?" Bang._

Mikan sighed. "_I guess not," _she thought.

She was so tired. All the energy seemed to drain out of her.

* * *

The 3 were now all sitting down, and they only settled after about an hour. 

"So we're going to spend the whole night here?" said Mikan, bored.

No response. "_Are they sleeping?"_ thought Mikan. They were all still, facing the opposite direction. After a few minutes of silence, Mikan was quite sure they were sleeping, but not until she saw Hotaru get something like-

_wait a second-was that-earphones?? She was listening to music at a time like this?!_

"I- We're-I can't- Why is everyone so damn quiet?!" said Mikan deafeningly.

"Natsume!" said Mikan

"Can you not?!" said Natsume covering his ears.

"Polka-dots, it's 8:30pm, so can you_ please_ stop making my ears bleed?! Everyone is tired, and just because you're not satisfied that you're not the center of attention, doesn't mean you should scream your head off like a freaking banshee!"

Mikan stopped talking, but what she couldn't stop, was the growing irritation for Natsume.

"Natsume, Why….Why are you so-so calm?"

"Why should I panic? That would be such a waste of energy. Complaining, whining non-stop…"

Indeed it was. Mikan felt so tired, hungry and sleepy.

Suddenly, the lights went out. And everything became so dark. Mikan couldn't see anything.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?" said Mikan.

It was really dark, and Mikan couldn't see.

Mikan suddenly felt she stepped on something.

"Ow-don't-that's my foot-you're stepping on my foot!"

_Ooops_. It was Natsume.

"Hey-"

"I'm sorry Natsume, it's so dark-"

"Ouch! Natsume, I'm going to kill you-"

"That wasn't me!"

"WHY YOU-I AM GOING TO-"

"Sakura-san…"

"Oh Ruka-pyon, is that you?" said Mikan, embarrassed.

"I thought you were Natsume."

"Yeah, yeah. It's always me, isn't it?" said an annoyed Natsume.

"It's lights out at this time. Just use your fire alice so we could see where we could sit down," said Hotaru all of a sudden.

"Fine," said Natsume, and then warmth spread across the room.

They were all in a straight line across the wall. Hotaru was the first one on the left, then Ruka, Natsume, then Mikan, while the rabbit was on Mikan's right side.

Mikan yawned. It was cold, now that Natsume's fire was gone.

"So…sleepy…so...cold..."

She closed her eyes…

And then she felt her head lie on something comfortable. The last thing she sensed was warmth. And then light.

* * *

**Apologies for making Mikan suffer so much...But it always happen to her anyway, so I guess it's kinda normal. I was really meant to finish this yesterday...but my sister was using it. And you can't get her away from the computer if she's already sitting there. So am I, but my sister's a Friendster addict. **

**Sorry everyone, you can stab me for this chapter...I kinda ruined it...(Actually, that's up to you to decide). And I don't know what to call Hotaru's invention, so I just did baka-sept. Sept is just short for separate. Thanks!**


	5. The Alice discovery

"AAHhhhhhh! So hot!"

Mikan opened her eyes. She had just waken up, it was still, however, night time.

"What's going on-eh?!"

Her head was lying on Natsume's shoulder_- I was actually sleeping on him?!_

"Good. You're awake. How long do you intend to stay in this place? I wanna get out."

"You finished enjoying your time at this place?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Mikan asked, feeling somewhat stupid. She was feeling that a lot more lately.

"Me? Enjoying? Well isn't that funny. You really see me laughing my head off, playing a game of hide and seek, right?" added Mikan sarcastically.

Natsume rolled his eyes.

"_Idiot. She is the greatest idiot I have ever known."_

"…I am so …hungry…" said Mikan. She could hear her stomach.

Natsume sighed.

"Do you or do you not, have the teleportation alice?"

"Teleportation alice? No, I don't," she said bluntly.

"Well then, please tell me, how you're able to visit many places at once at will?"

Mikan paused. _It was an alice! Of course! But was this the alice I stole from the old man?_

Mikan, being slow and somewhat idiotic, knew she could go anywhere she wants in an instant, but never did it cross her mind that she could actually teleport.

"But there's an anti-alice door," said Mikan, thinking of what Natsume had said.

"_So she's not only an idiot. She's also got poor hearing," _thought Natsume.

"Don't you ever listen in class? The anti-alice door is useful for any alice used _on _the door, so you're not actually using it on the door, are you? The anti-alice door isn't really much good if someone has teleportation alice."

Mikan was silent for a moment, as though she was still registering what he was saying.

But to Mikan, it was utterly infuriating.

"AND YOU KNEW THIS ALL ALONG?!!!"

Natsume shrugged.

"Not my fault you're an idiot, is it? Besides, your head is getting heavy."

Mikan after all, slept on him. She quickly turned red.

"Kinda surprising, there's nothing even it. Anyway, I don't have time for tedious conversations. Quick, I want to get out here."

"Wait- I'm not done with you yet- what the hell were you doing-just-just sitting there enjoying me panicking? So that's why! You were so calm, pretending like 'I don't give a damn' when-when-"

_This is too much. I wanna kill __him._

Natsume yawned. "I'm waiting," he said.

"_But first, I better get out of here. I've spent enough time in this place," _thought Mikan. She quickly teleported outside and opened the door.

"A door that has a lock from the outside? Weird," said Mikan. "As though the room was made to trap someone…"

"This room is used for detention sometimes," said Natsume.

"Oh. I guess that explains it," said Mikan.

"You think-you think someone locked us here on purpose?" added Mikan.

"Did-did that rabbit tell you anything? Did it see anyone?"

"No."

Both of them stared at each other for a while.

"I'd better wake Hotaru and Ruka-pyon," said Mikan quickly, blushing before she turned to the room. However, to her surprise, Hotaru was already awake, sitting down reading a-

"You brought a book?!" asked Mikan in surprise.

"Yeah," said Hotaru quietly.

"I never saw you bring anything... Anyway, Ruka-pyon, wake-up," said Mikan

Ruka woke up, however, still looking sleepy.

"We'd better get back before we get in trouble," said Mikan.

"Wise choice of words," said a voice.

"Jinno-sensei," said Ruka.

"What time do you all think it is?" he asked

"N-nine thirty," responded Mikan promptly, as she looked at her watch.

"Nine thirty what?"

"Nine thirty…uhhh….ten seconds?"

"It is nine thirty- p.m. right now, and tell me what you are all doing out of beds? You better make up a good excuse this time or... suffer the consequences."

"What?! But-"

"Sensei-"

"We can explain-"

"Having to be out of beds at this time, surely, what explaining needs to be done?"

The 4 of them said 4 different things at the same time:

Hotaru: "They-"

Ruka: "The door-"

Mikan: "The rabbit-"

Natsume: "Ruka-"

"Enough! You all better meet me up outside my office 8:00pm tomorrow to do some simple….tasks.."

_'And the last time you said 'simple', I ended up getting so tired at the end of the day,' _thought Mikan.

"Life is not fair," said Mikan angrily

"Since when has life ever been?" asked Natsume, slowly walking away.

* * *

It was a sunny Wednesday morning, and the class was really bored, most of them using their alices to remedy their boredom. 

"Class, we've got a new student today," said a voice.

"Narumi-sensei!" cried Mikan.

Suddenly, a ball of fire shot right on Mikan.

"Aahh!" said Mikan, dodging the fire.

"Noisy," she murmured.

"Sandy- Don't- don't do that to Mikan please," he said.

"Wow-she has the fire alice! Is she related to Natsume?"

"What is her star-rank?"

It made Mikan a little angry that they didn't even took notice of the fact that the girl almost burnt Mikan.

"Hi-can we be friends?" Mikan heard someone say to the girl.

"Whatever," the girl said sitting down.

She was sitting right next to Iinchou, who tried to be friendly to the new student.

"Hi. My name is-"

"I don't care," she said quickly. She then drew out a book from her bag.

"So like Natsume," said one of the girls sitting in front of Mikan.

Mikan wasn't really paying much attention. She was only listening a bit from time to time. She was so sleepy, and she wondered why. She didn't really sleep late last night...But was it really sleepiness? Or maybe something similar... The words she was looking for came out:

_I'm so tired. _

_Tired. _Yes, she was tired.

But something had been bothering her lately. It was on that night...

* * *

_**FLASHBACK:**_

"_Do you or do you not, have the teleportation alice?"_

"_Teleportation alice? No, I don't." _

"_Well then, please tell me, how you're able to visit many places at once at will?"_

_**END OF FLASHBACK**_

* * *

_I have…teleportation alice… How? Did I steal this alice from the old man? I must have. I never had this kind of ability before! _

Mikan was thinking deeply, when she was suddenly interrupted by Narumi…

"Can I please talk to you for a minute?" he asked, smiling.

"Sure," replied Mikan.

"We have received…news…" he said slowly.

"News?" asked Mikan in curiosity.

"We know that you have the teleportation alice…"

* * *

**Sorry if everything's gone rather…slow...But finally-some progress in the story! Kinda hard to make up the title since there are 2 main things happening in this chapter. Anyway, enjoy the chapter.**

**And I write new chapters after 2 days of not writing. Pattern might change and be delayed by 2 days or 1 day if I have many homework though. I could actually see that coming...**

**Again and again, thanks for the reviews! I hope there's not much spelling errors, I edited this like 3 times.**


	6. The Battle of the sticks

**Disclaimer: **I do **NOT** own Gakuen Alice….How I wish…

* * *

Mikan was really happy. What else could go wrong? However, she was also confused- and surprised… 

**Flashback**

"Can I please talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure."

"We have received…news…"

"News?"

"We know that you have the teleportation alice…"

"Y-yes, I do. But I only just found out," said Mikan

"And animal pheromone alice."

"Animal Pheromone? I'm sorry, but I don't have that."

"Yes, we expected you to say something like that. However, a student- Ruka Nogi seems quite convinced-"

"Ruka-pyon?!" said Mikan in surprise.

"Yes, and also the student- Veronica-"

"Veronica?"

"Yes. She says you have the super strength alice."

"Super strength?" Mikan laughed.

"I could never have that. See, the only alices I have are Nullification, Steal Alice, and Teleportation," said Mikan.

"You are forgetting Animal Pheromone, Repair and Super Strength."

"Narumi-sensei, I couldn't possible have _all those_."

"Oh, but you do. And if you aren't convinced," he said, pausing.

"We could use that bird as example," he said pointing on the bird sitting outside in a branch.

"Hello. Nice day isn't it?" said the bird-

"_Said the bird? Wait a second-"_

"AAAAaahhh---Na-Narumi Sensei---the bird is-it's speaking!"

Suddenly, a thought struck her.

"Narumi-sensei-I have Ruka-pyon's alice?!"

"I already told you. You also have the repair alice, and the Super strength Alice. This is really extraordinary- we will sort out your new class and your star-rank-"

"My star rank?!"

"Yes. As of now, you will be a 3 star-or when your alices improve- which I expect would soon-you can become a special star."

Mikan couldn't believe her ears.

"Narumi-sensei, I'm really going to be a special star?!"

"Yes. And your class-"

"Class? Can't I-Can't I remain in the special ability class?" asked Mikan quietly. She had gotten used to and close to her classmates, not that she didn't want to be with Ruka-pyon and all the others.

"Sensei…Can you please…Keep my alices secret?"

"Certainly. But why? They will question you anyway. You're going to be a 3-star after all."

"Everybody… Might think that I'm a…a freak or something…. I have so many alices. It's going to be weird. They all will question me," said Mikan softly.

"OK. But sooner or later, everybody will find out."

**End of flashback**

"Sakura-san!" said a voice.

"Ruka-pyon!" said Mikan cheerfully.

"Nothing. Just passed by. Anyway, Jinno-sensei says that we all have to be on time, or else…"

"Or else what?"

"Well, he never really continued the sentence," he replied.

"Oh. OK. Thanks Ruka-pyon."

* * *

"I'm going to be late!" said Mikan, rushing to the room. 

_Almost there-_

"Natsume!" said Mikan angrily. On the way. Again.

"Out of my way," he said coldly.

Mikan stepped towards the left. Natsume stepped towards the left. Mikan went to the right, Natsume went to the right. Mikan wanted to get past him, but he seemed to be either blocking her from passing or making fun of her.

"_Either way, blocking me is basically making fun of me_," thought Mikan.

"Out of _my_ way, Natsume," said Mikan indignantly.

"Are you suggesting me that I'm trying to-Hey-what's that-"

Mikan, having made him stop, seized the chance and ran past him, and off to class.

* * *

"So today, we are having a sort of class battle." 

"Class battle?"

"Yes. Using your alices."

"I will group you all into pairs. All of you will be holding a stick-here," he said, pointing through the pile of sticks in the desk. Today, their teacher was a substitute, but Mikan did not really care.

"You must all try to get the stick of your pair, using your alices, but not actually hurting them."

"Sensei-um-why is it a stick?"

He raised his eyebrows.

"Does it really matter whatever object it is?"

"N-no."

"Thought so."

* * *

Mikan was paired with Koko. Hotaru was paired with Ruka, while Natsume was paired with Sandy. 

"Let's start," said Mikan

"_Koko, the mind reader,"_ Mikan thought. "_He better not reveal anything too personal… Or else…"_

"Or else what?" he said aloud.

"You-you've been reading my mind!" said Mikan slightly irritated.

"Give me the stick," he said.

"No!" said Mikan, clutching the stick tightly. He walked nearer. Mikan teleported to the other side. She loved doing that.

He looked startled.

"You've just- What- I didn't know-"

Mikan smiled.

"You can teleport?" he asked, eyes widened in confusion.

"Yeah," said Mikan.

"You're-how many alices do you have?" he asked.

Mikan paused. She had shown that she has teleportation alice, but she meant to have all her other alices secret.

"Three," said Mikan slowly.

He raised his eyebrows.

"That's not what your mind says."

"And what does my mind say?" asked Mikan sharply. She tried so hard to keep her mind blank.

"That you're having all other alices secret," he responded promptly. He gazed at her. It made her feel uncomfortable. It felt as if he was reading her mind...As if he could see right through her…

"_But there is no use in trying to hide…He has the mind-reading alice…He will eventually find out about my repair and super strength and-What am I thinking? He's probably reading my mind right now!"_

"Amazing! I never knew anyone who had so many alices! You have Repair Alice! Super stre-"

"N-no! S-stop!" said Mikan in panic.

He stopped to looked at her.

"Eh?! Mikan- you're a 3-star?? Since when?"

Mikan was really anxious, trying hard to silence him. However, something seemed to catch his attention.

"Aren't you-aren't you interested in what's going on over….there?" Koko asked Mikan, gesturing to where Natsume and Sandy were.

Mikan looked over.

"_They looked like they haven't talked to each other yet," _Mikan thought.

* * *

On the other hand, Natsume and Sandy were sitting down. If one looked at them, they would've thought they weren't a pair at all. Like they didn't know each other. It wasn't like they did, but they just sat there. Still. Faces blank with emotion. 

Sandy never really liked anyone in her whole life. She had no friends. This wasn't entirely her fault though. They were either too sensitive, too stupid, or too noisy. She hated noisy people. But this guy, the one next to her, was different. If he had been a normal student, he would ask her why they didn't start the battle. But this guy seemed too bored to care about pretty much anything. And she liked it. Finally, someone like her.

"What's your name?" she asked, when she had mustered enough confidence to ask. Finally, their first ever communication with each other.

"…"

Sandy was patiently waiting for a reply.

_I can't believe, that after I've got to get the courage to ask, he doesn't even answer!_

When no sound came out, she finally asked another question, hopping he would answer the next.

"Fine. Don't answer. What is your alice?"

No response. She was irritated. Is it possible that he was…deaf?

"I said- What, is, your-"

"Must you repeat things twice? I can hear you."

"Well then, let people know if you can, because people don't have the mind-reading alice to know that you understand, OK?" she asked smiling.

"Some people do," said Natsume quietly.

"What?"

"I said, some people have the mind-reading alice, idiot."

"_I HATE – I HATE THIS GUY," _Sandy thought.

Mikan went over to the area where Sandy and Natsume were.

"Uhhh….Natsume?" Mikan asked

"What?"

"Well, it's just, me and-"

"Get straight to the point, will you?"

"Well, fine then," said Mikan with a trace of irritation in her voice.

"Maybe we should- join forces….I mean, 2 by 2…. Let's battle with each other.. Is that….OK?"

"No."

"Oh, BUT- But-I don't see why we can't!" said Mikan, frustrated.

"We can't. It's supposed to be 3 by 1. That's why."

"3 by…1? But you only have 1 stick to get. I have to get all 3!"

"Then hold 2 sticks. 3 even. But does that really matter when you got about 5 alices compared to 3 people with only 1 alice? But wait- There may be 10 more hidden alices for all we know!"

It was the longest Natsume ever said that Sandy heard, and it was to this girl, "Mikan Sakura" that Natsume spoken to. It annoyed her.

"It's not fair!" There was a long pause.

"Would it be, if I go with you then?" he asked.

_Would it be fair if…? What was he getting at? Didn't he want me to battle them alone?_

"No." said Sandy loudly

Everyone turned to look at her.

"No, he is my partner. You go with your own," said Sandy firmly.

* * *

**Nothing much major in this chapter, but there will be in the next chapter or so. I couldn't think of a title really, so I just did the first thing that came to my head. Why is it always hard for me to think of chapter titles?**

**Just saw the RAWS for Gakuen Alice chpter 94. Couldn't really understand, but it was fun looking though. I guess I have to wait for the translations. Anyway, n****ow I need to do my homework...**


	7. He hates me

**Disclaimer:** No, I don't own Gakuen Alice.!!!

* * *

She shot a ball of fire on Mikan, which she nullified.

_It's not… She's not burnt? Who is she?_

"Speaking about partners, _he_, is Mikan's," said Koko

"Mikan Sakura, Nullification alice," said Mikan, introducing herself.

"Nullification? Wow, your alice is pretty useless."

"And you're the one to talk about 'useless' alices, when look here, you can't even burn me!" Mikan said.

"It works with the rest," shrugged Sandy.

"Hey- what is his alice?" said Sandy, pointing at Natsume, eager to know.

"His alice? You don't know?" asked Mikan incredulously. It made Sandy angry.

"Tell me," she demanded.

"Well, you see, his alice is-"

"Polka dots, interrupted Natsume. He gave her a single look which immediately gave her a warning_: Tell her and you're dead._

"Umm..Well, his alice is..Well, that's-that's sort of… secret…"

"Secret? You mean you don't know his alice!"

"I do," said Mikan

"Do you?" asked Sandy to Koko.

"Everyone does."

* * *

The lesson ended when Natsume got Mikan's stick. It was pretty amusing though. Mikan and Koko were paired up. Koko read Sandy's mind, to her extreme irritation.

KOKO (reading Sandy's mind): This Mikan Sakura should stop calling him 'Natsume'. It it seriously gets on my nerves! -To think that they are so close!

KOKO (not reading Sandy's mind anymore): Well, well, this just gives us an impression, doesn't it, that you like-"

SANDY: SHUT. UP.

KOKO (reading Sandy's mind): He shouldn't know that I like Natsume!

KOKO (not reading mind anymore): Oh? But he doesn't_ like_ you.

(Grabs stick)

SANDY: Give it back!!!

Mikan: (teleported behind Natsume)

Natsume: (surrounded himself with fire)

Mikan: (walks past fire. Doesn't get burnt) Natsume, you can only attack with fire. And you can only defend yourself with fire. But I have the nullification alice. I can nullify that."

Natsume: You're right. But what you're forgetting, is that I have a brain, and you don't. Hey, what's that? (pointing behind her)

MIKAN: Where? (looking behind)

NATSUME: (grabs hair) I want that stick.

MIKAN: You wish.

Natsume tugged the stick from Mikan's hand, and before reacting, he said

NATSUME: I wish? No need. It's already been granted

* * *

Mikan slept for while. But she couldn't understand why she had dreamt a dream so real….But that dream, she thought, explained everything. After a split second, she realized. She understood. She knew. The reason for all the queerness, the situation she didn't know if she could rejoice about. Basically, why she was like this.

Mikan ran to Jinno-sensei's office, trying not to be late.

She was so preoccupied by her thoughts. She didn't know what to do, how to react.

She stopped. Of course, she had the teleportation alice. Why not use it?

She didn't move.

_I can't. It just seems so wrong._

"Sakura-san!" said Ruka.

"Am I late?" asked Mikan

"No, you're just in time."

"Is Natsume here?" asked Mikan, looking around. Hotaru and Ruka were both there-except Natsume.

"Jinno-sensei-"

"If Natsume Hyuuga is not here within 1 minute, there will be some consequences."

"But we've been here!_ We_ weren't late," said Mikan, pointing towards Ruka and Hotaru.

"If you know his whereabouts, bring him here."

5 minutes. No Natsume.

"I can find him, if that's alright," said Mikan. She was so impatient now.

"Be quick," he said rather hesitantly.

* * *

"I have an idea. Let's split," said Mikan. There were 3 other corridors, and they all chose different paths.

Mikan walked. And walked. She was looking left and right to see if Natsume were in any of the rooms.

_This is too slow. Should I use my alices?..._

_No. I should keep looking._

* * *

"What the hell are you doing?" asked Natsume. He was now annoyed with Sandy, who was now fiddling with her hair in boredom.

_Why did I have to be stuck with her in this room?_

"What's your alice?" Sandy asked.

"_God help me," _thought Natsume. He was _so _bored. _Room doors seriously need to get fixed. _He had been getting locked up a lotmorelately. _So boring... If only she was here..._

"That's none out of your business," he said to Sandy.

"…Hmmm…I'll take a guess then… Judging by your personality…Would it be…ice?"

Then suddenly, without warning, Natsume shot fire towards her direction, looking dangerously ready to attack. She dodged.

"Is that meant to be an insult?" he said, exasperated.

"Insult? No, no, not at all. Nice meeting someone with the same alice, by the way," she said.

And then they resumed back to their favorite conversation mode: silence.

Sandy didn't like it that way. She was intrigued about Natsume.

"Hey-you know that Mikan Sakura?"

No reply. She continued anyway, knowing that he was listening.

"Who exactly is she..? " She continued. She felt stupid because she sounded like she was talking to herself-but knowing the fact that he was there made her go on talking.

"…I mean, she's so… I don't know how to put it. But you're different when she's around… You're talking more…You're yourself more, if you know what I mean...Do you… Do you like her?"

There was a long silence. Neither of them spoke until a minute has passed.

"What?"

"You heard me," she said fiercely

"You're crazy."

"You do!"

"An idiot like her? Of course not."

"Oh, but you don't need to deny it. It's obvious!"

"Obvious? What's _obvious_, is that you've caught her idiocy. I know that you've been spying upon her lately. Why?"

"Of course. I should have known. You_ always _know a lot of things. Tell me, what alice has that girl got besides nullification?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"What? Don't act stupid. I know that girl has got another alice…..or alices."

"Why are you so interested about _her?"_

"The thing is, it's not her I'm interested in. It's you. I know you like her. And it irritates me."

"NATSUME!" cried Mikan, who burst into the room. She saw both of them. She was speechless for a while.

"We –w-we got to see Jinno-sensei, right?" she finally asked.

Natsume made no reply but stood up and left the room.

* * *

Mikan successfully went back with Natsume. Ruka and Hotaru were already there.

"OK. Since you all wasted 30 minutes of my time, you will get 30 minutes more-"

"But it's Natsume's fault!" cried Mikan. It was unfair that they had to suffer, when she had to find Natsume.

"So what's the punishment?" asked Natsume curtly.

"Well, you are to patrol the school and see if there are any students who are out of beds, or roaming around or something like that. I've had enough with the cleaning tasks, so I decided to think of a different punishment."

"That's it?" asked Natsume

"Yes. You are to go to bed at roughly 9:10pm. Start now and do not waste any time."

Mikan stood still, deep in thought…….

* * *

**_flashback_**

"_You do!"_

"_An idiot like her? Of course not."_

_**end of flashback**_

* * *

"Of course not"…And with that, she felt unusually distressed.

Natsume must have hated her that much.

* * *

**This was the longest chapter I think. Anyway,I've beenreally busy this week so it's only on the weekend where I had the time to update.I hope gakuen alicechpter 94 gets translated soon.**

**D**


	8. Unexpected attack

**Disclaimer:** I do NOT own Gakuen Alice. I wish I did. Actually, I don't. If I did, I would've killed Luna, and the story would have lost a good antagonist. (Not that I like her.)

* * *

The night seemed like a long one. It was very cold and the wind was blowing hard.

She patrolled the corridors, and fortunately, no one was roaming around. She then found Natsume. Mikan was about to turn the other side to avoid him, however, it was too late, since Natsume already noticed her before she left.

"Oi."

"H-hi," said Mikan softly.

"What's up?" said Natsume.

"Well, it's a good thing no one seems to be out-of-beds."

"That's not what I mean... You're unusually quiet today."

"Me? No I'm not! W-Why would I be?!"

"I don't know. You tell me."

Mikan opened her mouth to reply back, when the thought about what Natsume had said earlier refrained her from doing so.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked, looking annoyed.

There was a momentary silence, when Ruka and Hotaru came to join them.

"Anyone out-of-beds at all?" asked Ruka.

Both Natsume and Mikan shook their heads.

"Hey, what time is it?" asked Mikan

"About 8:50," said Hotaru. Ruka's attention suddenly diverted to Mikan.

"Sakura-san, you are a 3-star?!" asked Ruka suddenly.

"Yeah…"

* * *

By the time they were walking to their bedrooms around 9:12pm, Hotaru talked to Mikan.

"You are not telling me something."

Mikan suddenly stopped walking.

"W-what do you mean?

"You… You're unusually quiet."

Mikan rolled her eyes.

"That's exactly what Natsume said."

Hotaru did not reply.

"Well, goodnight Hotaru."

"Mikan," Hotaru called out quietly.

"Yeah?"

"At least smile."

Mikan smiled at Hotaru, and as she entered her room, the smile had soon vanished.

She reflected back on what both Natsume and Hotaru said. "You're unusually quiet". And though they need not ask why, Mikan already questioned herself, yet the answer was, to her, a complete mystery.

* * *

The next morning, she woke up late, so she hurriedly ran to class, like she always did. Much to her annoyance, Natsume was there. Again.

"Why is it that everytime I'm late, you always pop out of nowhere?"

"Wait a second-are you….stalking me?" asked Mikan.

"Stalking you? And I would do that because…?"

"You-It's-Don't change the topic!"

"I never did, idiot," said Natsume, walking away.

_I can't stand him._

Hotaru went for a stroll with Mikan after class.

"There you go again."

"What do you mean?" asked Mikan

"Why are you acting weird? I told you to smile."

"Hotaru…."

"Right. That's it. Tell me what is going on your head, or I'll have to call a mindreader."

"Don't! Ok-fine…It's…It's Natsume."

"And?"

"He…He hates me!"

* * *

"Hey!! What the hell is that for?" asked Natsume, annoyed.

Hotaru had aimed her baka-gun at Natsume.

"Hurt Mikan one more time, and I'll make sure you get more than that," she said.

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't know what you did or how you did it, but you're going to pay for it. Now I'll give you 10 seconds to explain to me _everything_. 10-9-8- "

"Wait- I didn't do anything!" he said in exasperation.

"Fine. Don't say anything. But just one wrong move-"

"I get it, OK?"

Hotaru left, and Natsume stood still, apparently still trying to recover from shock. What exactly _wasn't_ annoying about…about everything? A girl threatening _him_, and attacking him with a weird looking invention for a thing he didn't know he did!

Natsume reflected back on what Hotaru has said:

"Now I'll give you 10 seconds to explain to me everything."

Everything? How was he meant to do that when he knows _nothing_?

* * *

Mikan teleported outside when everybody were all chatting and gossiping.

As she walked around, she saw Natsume.

"Is it really my fate to _always_ see him?" Mikan asked herself.

"Should I hide?" she asked quietly.

"Oi-Polka dots."

Mikan was shocked.

"_He already knew I was here…." _thought Mikan.

"What?" she asked

"Can you tell me….Why your best friend….Went striking me with a weird invention?!"

"Eh? Hotaru would never do that," responded Mikan.

"Oh yeah? Well, she did."

"Did she at least tell you why?"

"I got the impression it was because of you."

"And what exactly made that impression?" asked Mikan indignantly.

"Well, apparently, there was something I did, which I can't even remember doing. She tells me something about 'hurt Mikan one more time…' Well, I didn't quite catch the rest."

"_Did Hotaru….Do that for me?" _thought Mikan

"Well, it was because of _you_ why it became because of _me_."

"Let's get this straight-What did I do?" he asked bluntly.

"Figure that out yourself," said Mikan.

* * *

Sitting under a tree, resting, a figure approached. The person's identity seemed to be getting clearer every second…-It was Sandy.

"_What does she want? Can't she tell that I need peace?"_

"I need to talk to you," she said quietly.

There was a pause. It felt really awkward, since the two never really talked alone.

"What about?"

"Well…You know, that I know, that I…Don't…like you."

"That's-That's nothing new," said Mikan.

Sandy very quickly shot a ball of fire on Mikan, and the attack being unexpected, Mikan did not have the time to dodge, or nullify it. It burnt part of her shoulder.

"Ouch-What-are you doing?!" asked Mikan, feeling the searing heat of the fire.

"You have a useless alice," said Sandy, and Mikan suddenly remembered the time Sandy had said that before. She felt utterly enraged.

"Really? I don't think I do," said Mikan, who suddenly also shot fire at Sandy. It her too, but only part of her left arm. Mikan looked at her own hands which had caused the fire. Her expression was a mix of a bit of amazement and awe, but nothing like shock.

"What-I don't-You-You have the fire alice!" she said in bewilderment.

"I guess having it really does help," said Mikan, smiling.

"Well, you better really have some other alice, if you don't want to lose. I'm tired of tedious fights."

"What exactly is the point of this fight?" asked Mikan. Fighting is too…_tiring_…

"Enough said."

_Kick, kick, punch, dodge, punch… _Sandy froze Mikan's left arm, but Mikan melted it with fire.

_Kick, punch-_The moment their skin made contact, Mikan felt herself become weaker and weaker, as if all the energy was draining out of her…

"What is your other alice?" asked Mikan promptly.

"Have a guess."

"I don't have- I don't have the time for guesses!"

"Everyone thinks all I've got is one alice. Oh please. How pathetic…Actually, in total, I've got about 3."

"Th-three?" asked Mikan feebly.

"Yup. Fire, energy-draining alice, and…Care to hear the last?

"….last?"

"… And most destructive. I've got...Ice. Pretty weird you know, how that happens. Having ice and fire."

"Show me….your ice alice…" said Mikan.

Sandy formed an ice stick, pointed towards the edge. The end looked razor-sharp.

Mikan was too weak to move. She wanted to use all her alices, but not even teleportation worked. If this continued, she was soon going to drop on the ground, unconscious.

_Help…I need…help…_

Sandy stabbed Mikan's left arm.

Of all things Mikan could have thought of, what came to her head first was: "Lucky it wasn't my right."

Her right hand was for writing, and Mikan felt somewhat thankful she could still use it.

Though in her feeble state, Mikan used a thick layer of ice to protect her from Sandy's next attack, which was a sort of barrier that surrounded her. It was a big surprise to Mikan that she even managed to make one.

"What?! You don't have- I don't get it- First, fire. Now, ice... " Sandy was rather astounded.

Mikan nullified Sandy's next attack, but didn't do very well, as she could still feel herself weaken more and more. Mikan defended herself rather than attacked, then at last, decided to teleport.

"Why didn't I do this earlier?" she cursed under her breath.

"_I guess Natsume can be telling the truth sometimes. I am an idiot," _thought Mikan.

Mikan teleported back, and without thinking of anything-not even where to go, Mikan's feet led her to some place. Her feet moved automatically, as though familiar of the path it has chosen. After knocking on the door, she fell down and lay there, unconscious.

* * *

**I'm really sorry for the sort of late update. ****The teachers had no mercy giving us 6 assignments... anyway,**

**i finally finished this chapter**


	9. The truth about the dream

Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Gakuen Alice

* * *

_**Mikan's POV**_

_Dark…Everything is so...Dark…_

_I'm…being carried…Where? It all feels so familiar…The person…Someone is carrying me… Who?_

_Sandy... Why? Why did you attack me…?_

_Hotaru…Ruka-pyon…Natsume…How is everyone?_

_**End of pov**_

* * *

And it replayed back to Mikan's head again…The dream the other day…

_There was door, a door Mikan always wanted opened…_

_The door opened, yet there was no one there…_

"_Anyone here?" asked Mikan._

_There came the man, the man who made a significant change in Mikan's life, the man who gave her his Alice. Whatever the first 10 words he spoke to her was, Mikan was not able to properly hear._

"_What are you doing?" he asked softly._

_Mikan did not reply, looking around, not sure whether it was her he wanted to speak to._

"_M-me?"_

"_Yes, you."_

"_What? - I'm not sure I understand exactly what you mean."_

"_My alice."_

"_Your alice? Teleportation?"_

_The man did not reply._

"_Oh, do you want your alice back? I'm really sorry, come on, have it, I'll give it back-"_

"_No… Keep it."  
Then the man slowly faded away…He was going to disappear within a few seconds…Mikan had to do something…_

"_WAIT! Please, wait! Who are you? Why me? I don't understand!"_

_He was gone…_

_There came Hotaru in her dream. She was inventing something. Mikan followed. The invention looked like a weapon of some sort. Mikan then started doing the same. Exactly the same as Hotaru._

"_Hotaru…How come I'm able to do this?"_

"_Copy alice."_

_The scene then changed. She was with Natsume. He was playing with his alice._

"_Ever heard of the saying 'don't play with fire'?" asked Mikan._

"_It's my alice. I can't help it," he shrugged."_

_Mikan made fire through her hands and played with it as well. _

"_Let's play a game," said Mikan cheerfully._

_Whether Natsume responded the way he usually does with a cold refusal, Mikan never knew, as the scene changed and she was with Koko._

_Strangely, he never spoke, yet Mikan knew what he was saying, and they were somehow conversing without them uttering a word._

"_Let's play the one we did in class before, the one with the sticks," he suggested_

"_Ok."_

"_But it's not fair. Your alice is really strong."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Copy alice."_

_'Copy alice…Copy alice…' The thought rang through her head repetitively._

* * *

Mikan woke up. It was morning, and the sun's rays were blinding. Mikan woke up.

"Oh. You're awake," said a lady.

"Where am I?" asked Mikan.

"You're in the hospital."

"What?! Who-why-how-" Mikan stopped. _Oh yeah. Sandy. She'll need a great deal of explanation when I go out._

Suddenly, a thought struck Mikan.

"The person-The person who carried me-did you see-?"

"-Who the person was? Well, no. I can go ask, though."

Mikan thought and considered many people. She even tried to remember the room, but she could not even remember where she went at all. All she could remember was the pain and weakness she felt when she was walking towards the door…

When the nurse came back, all she said was:

"He refused to give identification."

"Yeah, but what does he actually look like?"

All she did was shrug. To Mikan, it was pretty disappointing, but she decided to abandon the thought and think of other things.

Mikan continued to ask more questions.

"How long have I been here?"

"Just a night."

"What's wrong with me?"

She raised her eyebrows. "Shouldn't you know the reason you've been here?"

"Yeah, but what did the experts say?"

The lady sighed.

"Alice overuse, exhaustion. Quite a deep wound in the left arm, but nothing really serious. Happy?"

* * *

Sandy was alone, trying to read a book in the corner.

Sumire was watching her, along with several other girls who apparently are in the Natsume-Ruka fan club.

"There she goes. Our target. Watch her actions very closely. She could be our great enemy," whispered Sumire.

"And why are you all staring at me like idiots?" she asked coldly.

"Eh? We're staring at the ceiling!" she said, pretending she never spied upon Sandy.

"And what exactly is so interesting with the ceiling?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

Sumire had obviously not planned this would be coming, and so she wasn't able to give a decent answer.

"It's-it's- It's white!"

* * *

"OOOOOOOOoooouuucchhh…..Hotaru, that hurts! What was that for?"

Hotaru hit her in the head with a weird invention of hers.

"Well, number one, you used too much of your alice-"

"It was self-defense-!"

"Number two, you wouldn't tell me who attacked you-"

"But-"

"Number three," said Hotaru, raising her voice.

"You didn't ask for help," continued a voice. It was Natsume.

"Nat-Natsume…" said Mikan. She was quite surprised about his visit.

"I'll leave _you _in _his_ hands," said Hotaru, leaving the room.

"Hotaru-wait!" said Mikan.

"You had teleportation and alice, and yet-"

"But-"

"Don't," he said looking at her with a death stare, "Interrupt."

"Why are you so angry?" asked Mikan.

"Because number four, you go get yourself hurt, as result of number three, not asking for help."

"You think I wanted to go get myself hurt? You think-you think I wanted to be in this condition?"

"No. You want to know what I think? I think you're an idiot."

"I'm not an idiot!"

"Really? Well I'll find that pretty hard to believe," said Natsume.

"So you hate me, is that really why?"

"What, are you talking about?" asked Natsume, feeling as if he missed something.

"You hate me because I'm an idiot! Right??"

"Well, if you're not an idiot, then that just means you don't use your head. Haven't you ever thought that if I hated idiots I wouldn't even be here?"

"-But you will be here to give me a thing to get angry about? Well, yeah, pretty much."

"Why are you being so complicated?"

Mikan gave a rough imitation of part of the conversation she heard.

"'Do you like her_?' '_An idiot like her? Of course not.' Tell me," said Mikan, "How I'm not supposed to think you dislike me ?"

**Well, the chapter ends there. I'll be studying now for my french test.**

**Don't forget to review!**

**:)**


	10. Struck by Realization

**Struck by Realization**

**Disclaimer:** No, I do not own Gakuen Alice. EVER.

* * *

Out of all words that Mikan had imagined he would say, all he said was:

"No."

"No? No as in 'no it's not true' or 'no I can explain'?" asked Mikan.

"No you're getting it all wrong."

"Which part?"

"Which? Funny you asked. _Everything," r_eplied Natsume.

"So what's it supposed to be then? A big Let's-go-annoy-Mikan game?" asked Mikan furiously.

"No-"

"'No'?! Haven't you have anything else to say other than 'no'?!"

"I do if only you let me finish," said Natsume impatiently. "No, it's not a game, and –by the way, eavesdropping is a bad habit," added Natsume.

"It wasn't as if I was- That's not the point!" said Mikan, looking quite flushed.

"Idiot."

"I am _not_."

"OK, OK. As you say. Anyway, actions do speak louder than words."

"Oh yeah? Well who got you out of the locked room?"

"You," responded Natsume.

"When I reminded you that you could actually teleport," he added.

"Well how about…How about…" Mikan couldn't think of anything else. Natsume continued.

"Well how about the time I told you that you had animal pheromone alice and you denied it even though you were already talking to a pig? Well, how about the time you weren't able to get my stick?" said Natsume.

"……. Or the time I didn't know I could teleport when just I did? Perfect reasons to hate me," said Mikan.

"For the second and last time, I don't. And certainly not because you were the one who_ forgot_ to use teleportation when you were stuck in a room, or because you don't listen in classes, or-"

Mikan cut across him.

"Ok, I think I get it-"

"-Or the fact that you didn't even realize that you had a number of alices, even when you already used them. And since you're so intelligent, do you realize…Do you realize what she might have done if I said that I did like you?" asked Natsume.

Mikan hesitated for a moment.

"But-But even if you denied, she was still doubtful anyway, and I still got into this condition-"

She made an abrupt stop.

"Natsume…That means…You …Do you… ..like… me…?"

There was silence between the two.

Footsteps could be heard from a distance, which appeared to be drawing closer. The nurse entered the room.

"…I thought I heard voices- I thought it sounded like there's argument going on. Sorry, please do not upset the patient. Doctor's orders," she mumbled apologetically.

"_Perfect timing,"_ thought Mikan sarcastically.

"You were that guy from last time, right? Did you tell her?" the nurse asked Natsume.

"Tell? Tell me what?" asked Mikan, looking from the Nurse to Natsume.

"Go have some rest," he said, finally deciding to leave.

"But-wait!"

* * *

Sandy was reading a book under a shady tree. It was a quiet afternoon, and the rustling of trees could be heard.

"You can come out now," she said.

"I knew it was you," she said quietly, as soon as Natsume appeared behind a tree.

"What did you do?" he asked in fury.

Quite surprised by the sudden question, she replied, "Me? I didn't do-"

In a swift action, Natsume shoved her to the tree, suffocating her.

"I guess I should've just asked why you did it. What you did was never really a question. I _know _you did it."

"I-don't know... what you're talking-…about!" said Sandy, coughing, as Natsume loosened his grip.

He set fire around her.

"… You denied that you liked her. Yet here you are- _Obviously , _she's so precious_,_" she said serenely.

"Leave her out of this."

"Yes, you liked her. It annoyed me. I really _hated_ her," said Sandy.

He hit her hard across the face.

"I can't change the fact that you hate her. But-"

An attack suddenly came from the left.

Hotaru appeared with another one of her inventions in hand.

"But hurt her one more time and I'll make sure you get more than that," she said, continuing what Natsume has said.

"Especially made to detect people like you and strike you when you're spotted. Meet the baka-detrackter," she said proudly introducing her new invention.

"...Why?" she asked, knees dropping the ground.

"Why...Why do you like her so much?"

And leaving her without a reply, Natsume had left.

* * *

Entering the room, he observed Mikan closely, making sure she was asleep.

He waited a few minutes before he spoke.

"Always getting yourself into trouble…..I know it's not your fault", he said, sitting down on a chair.

"At that time…What I really thought was...Why can't I-Why hadn't I saved you? I want to protect you…"

He was silent for a few minutes before he spoke again.

"You kept telling me I hated you…But… I… I hate myself."

* * *

**FLASHBACK:**

_Knock knock._

"Who is it?" Natsume asked. Again, he repeated the same question. Annoyed that there was no reply, he opened the door slightly, only enough to see the unwelcome visitor.

(Change scene)

"Not…able…to…save…her!" he said banging the desk in rage. Yet there was only one thought lingering in his mind at that moment. _Who did this?_

"Why…? Sandy…" murmured Mikan beside him.

And in a matter of seconds, he quickly left the room.

Quickly telling them to conceal the fact that it was him who had brought her there, he left before Mikan could regain consciousness.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

* * *

"Who would have thought…Out of all rooms and of all people you decided to disturb, you chose mine? Pretty weird how your mind works…"

"Oh-Natsume," said Ruka who had just entered.

"I didn't think-Sorry," said Ruka, about to leave the room.

"No-you can come in," said Natsume.

"How is she?"

"She's fine. Just resting."

"Oh, I see," said Ruka, looking at the birds outside the window.

"I –have other things to do," said Natsume.

When the door was shut behind him, Ruka spoke.

"Sakura-san, how long have you been awake?"

At first, there was no response. After a few seconds, Mikan slowly opened her eyes.

"…How long have you known?" she asked, now moving.

"The birds outside told me. It seems you didn't realize that there were birds who witnessed everything the day you were attacked too."

"You mean they know-?"

"I asked them what happened. But Natsume Imai-san took care of _her_ anyway."

"Hotaru and Natsume what?! And the birds told you all those?" asked Mikan, dumbfounded.

"Yeah…."

Suddenly, a thought hit her. One that she had spent a great deal worrying about.

"Sakura-san? Is something wrong?"

Mikan did not answer.

What Natsume had said filled her with guilt and all of a sudden, realization struck her…

"_I want to protect you…_

_You kept telling me I hated you…But… I… I hate myself."_

Mikan was now crying. How stupid she had been for not realizing.

Natsume had not really hated her all along.

* * *

**(A/N: Finally finally finally. A chapter finished. I honestly thought I'd never finish this, when I made like 5 versions of this chapter on paper, but I couldn't decide what they should say. Ideas wouldn't really flow with writing, but it always does with typing. I really have no idea why. The computer also had to get fixed for like 4 days, so yeah. Don't forget to review! )  
**


	11. Second Battle

**Disclaimer:** I do not, I repeat, do NOT own Gakuen Alice!!

* * *

"OK. 3 seconds. One. Two. THRREEEE!! STrrrriiikkee!!

Sumire Shouda had planned it very carefully. She had researched about it as well. With the help of a couple of girls in the fan club, she was able to get a few reports about Sandy. Her reports were like this:

1. locked room. Natsume + Sandy Not talking (Comments: GOOD)

2. Sandy: multi-alice user. Has ice, energy draining, and fire alice (as said by Mikan Sakura, confirmed by Ruka Nogi)

3. Attacked Mikan Sakura. (Comments: HIGHLY dangerous)

4. Likes Natsume (As mind-reader confirmed)

Those, to Sumire, were enough reasons for her to be the club's target. However, Sandy seemed to be extremely lucky, these past few days, since the attacks never even landed her a single scratch.

"Not again!" yelled Sumire in frustration.

"She's so skilled!" said a girl in awe.

"This is not the time for admiration! We _will_ get her someday. Lets go!" Sumire said.

"Too easy," muttered Sandy, as she burnt a hand bag of a girl. Thinking about the battle with Mikan the other day, she thought, "_I just knew it. She has a couple of alices up her sleeve."_

* * *

Mikan left the hospital the next day, feeling quite bothered. She wanted to talk to Natsume, but he was not really around. The last time she's seen him was from Natsume's visit from the day before, and she had not been able to have a decent conversation with him ever since.

As much as Mikan wanted to properly converse with Natsume, he was never really around. Playing and experimenting with countless alices that she possesses, coincidentally, she found Natsume sitting on a corner near her, reading a book.

"Why is it that whenever I see you….You're always…Alone," said Mikan.

"It was sort of weird seeing you like that," said Natsume all of a sudden.

"What are you talking about?" asked Mikan in confusion.

"You. Unconscious. I mean, you usually keep on talking."

"Oh. You must have liked it. I mean, I'm not there to annoy you. But it was nice of you to visit."

Natsume raised his eyebrows.

"In my dreams, I mean," added Mikan quickly, in case Natsume would find out she was listening the day before.

Suddenly, feeling the urge to blurt it all out, Mikan said:

"Thank you."

Taking a deep breath, she added, "You didn't really have to do that to Sandy, but-thank you."

"What? Is it clairvoyance now?" asked Natsume.

"What do you mean?"

"Your alice."

"N-no! Ruka-pyon told me. I mean, the birds told him, who told me."

"I see…No, I actually don't. Why are you thanking me all of a sudden?"

"You see, it's because I…." Mikan made an abrupt stop.

"Natsume…I'm sorry." Close to tears, Mikan said, "I …know about it already. Please don't hide it anymore. I- I heard you yesterday. From your visit, I mean. I'm sorry…I… I'm…"

But before Mikan could end her sentence, Natsume finished it for her:

"An idiot….Because…I know."

"Know? Know what?"

"That you were pretending to sleep."

"But –but you told me all those-?!"

"Because I know I wouldn't be able to tell you all that without you making my ears hurt."

Mikan wasn't sure.

"_I guess it wouldn't be too bad if… I only want to confirm something…_" thought Mikan.

After a few seconds, Mikan spoke.

"No, you didn't. You thought I was asleep…You really thought that but since it came to this, you just decided to…" Mikan stopped.

"...Mind reading now, is it? When are you going to stop using your alices unexpectedly? Seriously, I don't want to go find you unconscious from alice overuse," said Natsume.

Mikan smiled.

"Thank you. For worrying…. Natsume don't try to isolate yourself, OK? I'm here. We're here. Ruka-pyon and Hotaru and everyone. We're your friends."

* * *

Much to Mikan's surprise, Sandy approached her the next day. Expecting an apology, Mikan was rather surprised with the manner she was spoken to.

"I need to talk to you," said Sandy.

-The 6 words Mikan had heard Sandy said before.

"_Definitely not going to be an apology. You could just tell,"_ thought Mikan.

"Funny how you said exactly the same thing the other day, and I ended up in the hospital," replied Mikan.

"It was _your _fault to begin with. You're so weak."

"Who wouldn't be? You used energy draining-"

"You have nullification. Your fault for not using it," said Sandy.

"But-"

"Say, let's have a battle. All those girls from that ridiculous fan club are so boring. Have you seen their attempts? Just futile."

"Battle? Another one-?"

Before she could say another word, Sandy striked.

Unfortunate for her, this time, Mikan was able to dodge.

"_You're not getting me this time," _Mikan thought.

* * *

**(A/N: About time. I felt like Mikan was so weak the other chapter, that I needed to do another battle with Sandy. She couldn't just lose easily. Anyway, I was supposed to be doing this tomorrow- but I just couldn't procrastinate any longer. Besides, I don't feel at ease without doing a chapter. It's been like 2 weeks, and I've been reading Special A lately. And Gakuen Alice 96 is getting so good. )**


	12. The end of it

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gakuen Alice. I do not own it. For the third time, I do not own it. I don't. For the fourth time I do not own it. It just can't be mine. For the fifth and last time, I do not own it.

* * *

Mikan Sakura, no matter how you look at it, was surely one unusual person. For one thing, she was admirably kindhearted. Who would have thought that she would accept a challenge after being hospitalized by the same person? Who would have thought that despite everything, Mikan would still approach, or talk to her, as if nothing had happened?

She knew- No, even stranger, she even felt herself weaken as Sandy had used her alice on her, yet she chose to accept. In short, it was stupid.

And though Sandy thought it was indeed stupid, it wasn't quite so.

She had been impressed by how quickly Mikan had been able to dodge and attack-a whole new level more different, advanced, and stronger than the last.

Not only that, but though Sandy would not like to admit so, Mikan was an impossibly and infinitely gifted alice-user. She had so many alices- possibly, the person she knew with the most alices. _Fire, Ice- what the heck, wind?!_

Mikan just blew a wind that was so powerful, that if Sandy had not protected herself through a thick layer of ice, shielding herself, she would have been easily blown.

Those stated, perhaps, were all the reasons why she had chosen to mark Mikan as her rival.

Probably also including one more obvious reason... Natsume. She knew that if she was put right next to Mikan, to Natsume, there was no competition. Mikan would definitely win. But…Could she let herself be beaten in terms of power or strength? She hated Mikan Sakura- Which is why she could not possibly lose. At least, in terms of strength.

"I will definitely not lose_,_" Sandy reiterated silently.

"Let's play truth or dare," suggested Mikan out of the blue. They were both kicking punching, and dodging alternatively. It felt like it would never end.

"Right in the middle of everything? …I don't think so," said Sandy.

"Isn't this battle the same?"

"Well…Now that I think about it…I'll be nice and let you go first...Hey! Y-you -You keep doing that! You keep using nullification!" said Sandy, rather angrily.

"I'll be nice to you too, so I think I'll pass the turn."

"We're meant to use a bottle."

"Well it really does look like we have a bottle here, doesn't it?" said Mikan.

"But since I want to, I'll go first…Just as long as you go after me, accepting 'truth'," continued Mikan.

"Why do I have the feeling that I won't like all this?"

For some reason, both of them stopped, neither moving to bother to do any attack. However, both were on their guard, and neither would move any further or closer, eyes, sharp, as if expecting the next attack to come soon.

"I'm waiting," said Mikan.

"Truth…Truth or….Dare?"

"I'll take truth, " said Mikan.

"Does…Does…Did Natsume already confess?" Sandy blurted out. She wasn't looking directly at Mikan, but at her own feet.

Mikan had to admit, she was surprised. It was a pretty weird question.

"Confess? Confess about what?" asked Mikan.

"Confess about-?! What do you mean? He didn't say-he never said _anything_? I guess that's a 'no' then. The answer to my question, that is."

"But what could he possibly say about? How idiotic I am? Oh yes, I can completely foresee it. Natsume confesses how he truly feels annoyed whenever I'm-"

She was so… dense. Sandy was deeply annoyed.

She created a spiky great ball of what looked like solid ice, threw it, but before it had reached Mikan, she was surrounded with flames of fire which melted the ice, which she was sure, did not belong to her.

But to who? Sandy wanted to attack Mikan, but why would she have used fire to protect Mikan? It was certainly strange.

The answer however, was dreadfully simple. There, emerged a person…It was…Natsume!

* * *

It wasn't that Sandy did not mean to attack, but it was sort of an unexpected flow of anger. The ice was bigger the usual one she'd form.

"Nat-Natsume?! How long have you been here?" asked Mikan in shock.

"Does that matter? Very amusing, your battle."

Mikan knew that Natsume had saved her, and that he was just concerned.

Turning to him, she said, "Thank you."

She then approached Sandy.

"Umm….I have a question for you... Remember?" asked Mikan to Sandy.

"I choose dare."

"And I chose to go first in the condition that you go next, choosing 'truth'."

"Fine," mumbled Sandy, who couldn't be bothered to argue.

"Why…Why did you suddenly…What was the purpose of our last battle? That… That question has always been bugging me. Did I…Did I ever do anything wrong? You never properly explained."

"There has always been one reason for everything."

She averted her eyes from Mikan, then turned to Natsume. Eyes still on Natsume, but words spoken to Mikan, she said,

"I think you already know without asking, but if you're still confused...ask the mind reader. He found out already."

"Would I have been bugged if I knew?" asked Mikan, apparently frowning in discontent with the answer.

"There's always the second option," shrugged Sandy.

Natsume spoke, "We should end this battle-"

"No way!" Mikan and Sandy replied in unison.

"I mean, since we started it, why not end it?" explained Sandy. She continued:

"It's not like…It's not like I want to know if she's stronger, but since it's apparent, since I won last time-"

"Excuse me? Are you telling me that I'm…" (_using wind alice)_

"…That I'm incapable of winning? I don't think so," said Mikan.

"_I have a good feeling about this." _Mikan thought.

* * *

The vines (in which Mikan used her alice to manipulate plants) had wrapped Sandy, so she was not able to move. Fortunately for her, she found someone who has the alice to control plants, even way before the sudden proposal to fight.

"Giving up now?" asked Mikan.

"Not- not yet!" said Sandy.

Sandy burnt the vines, but the vines came back again wrapping her wrist and her legs so that they could stay in place, and out came even bigger and thicker ones as Sandy tried to burn and even- freeze more.

Mikan sighed.

"I think I'll…I'll stop," said Mikan.

"So, what do you think? Futile?" Mikan said happily.

* * *

(A/N: It's about time, I know. It's always been like that the past few chapters. ….So what do you think of the chapter? Good? Bad? I personally thought it was OK, since the last chapters were a bit….messed up…But anyway, Any comments? Please review. Thanks! )


	13. The Riddle

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gakuen Alice

* * *

The past few weeks seemed like a whirlwind to Mikan. Her and Sandy's fight where she ended up in the hospital, her being a three-star, as well as her discovery about her alice.

Mikan had now thought about it. Her alice came from the old man, which she has now learnt to use, yet she did not know exactly what to feel about it. Before, she used to feel guilty of using it when she didn't deserve it, but now she used it so much already, that it felt that it was nothing new.

Right after the fight, Mikan did not speak with Sandy, nor did they make any interaction.

Mikan pondered about what Sandy had said in the battle:

"_Why…Why did you suddenly…attack me before? That… That question has always been bugging me. Did I…Did I ever do anything wrong? You never properly explained."_

"_There has always been one reason for everything."_

_She averted her eyes from Mikan, then turned to Natsume. Eyes still on Natsume, but words spoken to Mikan, she said, _

"_I think you already know without asking, but if you're still confused...ask the mind reader. He found out already."_

"_Would I have been bugged if I knew?" asked Mikan, apparently frowning in discontent with the answer._

"_There's always the second option," she shrugged._

Mikan had indeed consulted Koko about this, except that he only made the answer:

"Starts with an N, ends with an E."

Great. Just great. Another riddle for her to solve when she's been trying to solve so much. What confession had Sandy been talking about? Where is the man whom the copy-alice belonged to?

So there Mikan was, sitting in class, mind quite far away from the class topic. It was one of the usual school days, and Mikan was thinking of any "N" words, ending with an "E".

She had gotten quite a few too…. Name, nature, Nightmare, None? It could be nothing really… "_This is ridiculous_," Mikan thought. "It could be _anything_. Any of these could be of significance. She could even have a nightmare that made her think 'I'll go do this', or…"

At that time, Mikan was tempted to read Koko's mind. Needless to say, the whole "Starts with an 'N', ends with an 'E'" thing was what had filled Mikan's mind lately all with questions, or ideas about an "N" word. Mikan sighed.

"3 weeks ago, it was a man. 2 weeks ago it was my alice. A week ago it's Sandy. Now it's a riddle." _When will I ever stop thinking about these things?_

Meanwhile, Sandy was checking her stuff in her bag, when Sumire appeared behind her.

"Beaten by the Nullification alice, how does it feel?" she asked. Sumire was especially pleased with the fact that Sandy was beaten by someone who didn't have such a strong alice.

Sandy said nothing, but rolled her eyes.

"I don't need any comments from _you,"_ Sandy said uninterestedly. She got a book out her back, and started reading a novel again, but this time, she found it exceedingly boring. _"Wrong choice of book, I guess."_

"I guess I'll have to cancel my plans for you. That Mikan Sakura already finished it," continued Sumire.

"Oh, you mean _those_ plans? The vase falling, the random booby traps, the weird shurikens-_ those?" _said Sandy, who suddenly burst into a fit of laughter.

"What exactly…. Is so funny?" asked Sumire in exasperation. She couldn't believe that Sandy had managed to escape those traps, let alone, say them all as if she was just being asked to name the colors of the rainbow.

"I might've thought it was obvious. Have any more 'plans'? I've had enough of those lame attempts."

"How is it any different to your recent battle? That Mikan Sakura is _weak. _And Nullification alice? Oh please. You have fire. And you lost. Which is such a shame."

"I think it has escaped your mind that you're a two-star."

"I've always known that fact," replied Sumire proudly.

"But she is a three-star."

"Three-WHAT?!"

"Yeah, you heard right. And in case it also escaped your mind _again_, I am a three-star too, hence, we're in the same level- which makes matters different. She is no longer a one-star… And…. Ever tried battling her? Just a piece of advice: I wouldn't consider her weak if I were you."

There was a brief moment of silence before Sumire spoke again.

"I thought…I've always had the feeling you disliked her," said Sumire.

"…If you think about it, I guess I do," replied Sandy.

"But you were just defending her!" said Sumire, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Defending? It's called stating the facts," Sandy said coolly.

"Whatever. Anything you say doesn't change the fact that you've actually said something good about _her_."

"Are you the president of that Natsume fan club thing?"

"You didn't say the name complete," said Sumire indignantly.

"They're all the same. Whether you say it the other way round or backwards, even in abbreviation. You know what I mean."

"Well, yeah, I am the president."

"But you're not," Sandy replied.

"But you just said so," Sumire said.

"No. I asked so…But that's not true… It's only self-proclaimed."

"But I'm as good as."

"Says who?"

"Everyone else."

"I wonder why they haven't kicked you out," said Sandy, who was amused by the thought.

* * *

"That's it! Why am I going crazy over this?" Mikan said.

She had filled 2 rolled lists of "N" starting and "E" ending words.

"What's that?" asked Ruka, who just joined Mikan, who was sitting down on the table, frowning.

"I just can't make anything out of it," said Mikan.

"Out of what? What's that?" asked Ruka, pointing in the second list Mikan was holding.

"I don't know why, but for some reason, I just feel like solving that 'N' word. I really somehow want to know the reason behind everything."

Bewildered, Ruka asked, "Reason behind what?"

Mikan seemed to forget that she was speaking to Ruka, as she was really absorbed in her thoughts.

"Ruka-pyon, what starts with an 'N' and ends with an 'E'?"

"…Lot's of words?" asked Natsume who just came to join the two.

"No, I need only one word. Could it be perhaps, a nightmare? Really, why can't I just read her mind?" Mikan asked out loud.

"And now it's mind- reading?" asked Natsume.

Mikan ignored the question, and went on thinking. She now got 10 more words to fill her list.

"I'll get more paper," said Mikan, who wrote the last word.

"You don't really need these lists, do you?" asked Natsume, picking up one of the lists that actually rolled down to the ground.

"What the hell do you need_ all_ these for?" he asked.

"It's the 'N' word," said Mikan simply.

"'_N_' word?"

"Yeah, the reason for Sandy's actions. Koko gave me a riddle for that. Weird. Not only mind-reader, but mind-messer."

"There's no such word."

Mikan rolled her eyes.

"The thing is, I still don't get it. What does she mean?"

"Oh, I know what she means," said Ruka, as if he suddenly remembered something.

"What?! I spent 2 afternoons thinking about it, and you only got it in what- 5 minutes?"

He simply shrugged.

"It's not that hard," said Ruka.

"You're only saying that because you know what the word is…What is it?" asked Mikan quietly.

Ruka looked in Natsume's direction.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-san. But don't forget….to look around you," he said.

"Oh… I-I understand. But…Really, why can't anyone tell me? Is it that hard to spill it out? What is it, top secret or something?"

"Name," a voice suddenly spoke.

Mikan looked around. It was Hotaru!

"Name? What do you mean?" asked Mikan, confused.

"Maybe it's a name."

"You see, I've thought about that. Starts with 'N' ends with 'e'. Obviously, the word 'name' fits. But why would she do all those for a name?"

"Not just the name, baka. The person _with_ that name."

"It's a person?"

"He's a person."

"It's a 'he'?"

"Don't make me repeat things again."

"R-right. Thanks anyway, Hotaru."

Mikan was racking her brains for a name. Yet with Sandy, any name, Mikan could not possibly associate. She did mention "the mind reader" once. She also seen Sumire approach Sandy once, but handled their attack with ease. Maybe it was because of this strange aura whenever Sandy was around. Maybe it was because she was attacked. Maybe it was because she never really thought about Sandy. Maybe, it could be _anything._

* * *

That night, Mikan was wondering…

"_A person? Who?"_

All this time, Mikan thought it was an outsider. Someone Mikan didn't know. Because she didn't really know Sandy, whether she had any relatives, or any friends.

Friends… Come to think of it, Sandy was never really close to anyone. She was seen quite a few times with Natsume, but often, like Natsume, she was isolated…She was away from everyone.

Then, it occurred to Mikan. They were so similar. In terms of alice, they had the same. In terms of personality, both of them were quite distant to others.

Never had Mikan thought of such similarity between the two.

It was only then however, that the bizarre idea struck Mikan, striking her the second time in the night. The "N" word.

She then recalled the exact words Ruka had said…

"_I'm sorry, Sakura-san. But don't forget….to look around you."_

"Who else could it have been, but _that _person?!"

* * *

**( A/N: I am so sorry for the sort of late update. I think school plans to drive me crazy before the end of this month. So many tests piling up.!! Initially, I meant for this chapter to be double of what I'd usually do, to make up for such a long time I haven't updated.--Sorry, but I'll do that next chapter. I realised I've fit it all in one chapter, and it's a bit too much. The next chapter will come out really soon. And by soon I mean tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Please don't forget to review! Thank you so much for all those who reviewed, and of course, those who still reviewed and waited patiently. )**


	14. Everything explained

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Gakuen Alice. That's impossible !!

* * *

"Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me," Mikan said repetitively, trying to get across all the people in the corridor.

Then, she finally spotted the person she had planned to see that morning.

"Hi!" Mikan said cheerfully to Sandy, who again, was reading.

No reply.

"You really like reading, don't you?" asked Mikan, examining the thickness of the book.

"Don't touch it," Sandy said quietly without looking up.

"Listen, uh-Regarding the-um…The matter…the other day," Mikan finished somewhat lamely.

"Yeah?" Sandy asked, again, without taking her eyes off the book.

Mikan did not know what to say. Sure, she planned on talking to her, yet she had no idea what about. She had imagined talking to Sandy last night, yet she did not realize it was even harder on the spot.

Sandy, impatient with Mikan's long silence, spoke instead.

"I'm guessing you've come here with a fairly important reason, seeing as it's time for our first lesson you're meant to be heading the opposite direction. You're looking at me stupidly not saying anything, but obviously, with a hundred thoughts flying off your head. I'm not a mind-reader, but I can tell. Anyone can-if you give them that look."

"I don't know what happened, but, we're friends, right?" asked Mikan all of a sudden.

"If you're telling me you came here because of that, don't think I'll accept all that crap."

"No, you're right. It's not what I'm here for. It's because…I know now."

Sandy did not need to ask what Mikan knew. Her silence already indicated it.

"Took you quite some time," she said.

"You see, my friend gave me a clue. I don't think I would have solved it without her…I mean, I asked Koko, and he gave me a riddle…something like "Starts with an 'N', ends with an 'E'….And last night, while thinking about it, I… I figured it out…By the time I made these 3 lists."

Mikan held out 3 lists, the first 2, were extraordinarily long.

"You may not be weak, but you sure are an idiot," Sandy said, grinning.

"It took you all these words to figure out one word. And it's not even a word. To be precise, it's a name. Really, I could laugh a whole month."

"You never gave him up, did you?" asked Mikan all of a sudden.

After a few minutes, Sandy spoke.

"Well… No. And that's exactly why I challenged you, I guess. If I couldn't beat you with Natsume, at least with strength…But…It's foul. What I did was foul. I'm sorry for…I'm sorry for doing that to you."

"I guess I wanted a challenge too. I don't know why, but I just couldn't make myself lose…"

"You should have seen Natsume. When I attacked you, he was really angry. And your inventor-best friend…You're lucky, you know. To have such people care for you."

"He- rejected you? Why?"

Mikan, suddenly realizing that she had probably asked a personal question, quickly decided to change the topic.

"If-If you want, I could…We could be your friends," said Mikan.

Sandy laughed.

"But could I? I like Natsume who likes you, who likes him. Really, it's negative 100 percent chance."

Sandy's teacher came into the classroom, in which Mikan took as an indication that she had to go.

"Wait," Sandy said.

"Yeah?"

"I got the impression that you wanted to know why he rejected me."

"Well…Yeah…" said Mikan, who felt rather mortified.

"What's the status of your mind right now?" asked Sandy all of a sudden.

Mikan was dazed.

"Care to explain that?" Mikan asked.

"You think you can handle another riddle?"

"I very much doubt that," replied Mikan.

"Well, I hate to add to your list of "What makes me go crazy", but, here is my answer: Starts with an 'M', ends with an 'N'."

"Another one?" asked Mikan, who was apparently vexed.

Mikan thought silently…..

"_Hotaru. No. Ruka-pyon? Big no. How about…"_ Mikan opened her fingers, counting letters, opening each finger as she said each letter. "M-I-K-A-N?"

"Finally," Sandy said with great impatience.

"Eh? Why would Natsume reject you because of an _orange_?"

(_Note: Mikan means mandarin orange_)

"_God_ help her," muttered Sandy under her breath in utter incredulity.

"Oh!" Mikan exclaimed in comprehension.

"So Natsume rejected you because of—because of- because of _ME?!" _Mikan said, only realizing what it actually meant.

"YES-IT'S-YOU," she said, carefully emphasizing, and elaborately spacing her words, as if taking to a 5-year-old.

"But-oh- that's _ridiculous._"

"No more ridiculous than you talking to me. You can still consider me a friend after- after _all?"_

"But seriously! Natsume, reject you because of me? Isn't that implying that he actually likes me?"

"Precisely."

"Again, you are wrong. Natsume….He just doesn't hate me, that's all... I'm guessing he probably doesn't think anything of me, and that's all there is to it."

"You make me want to hit you one more time," replied Sandy in annoyance.

"It's true."

BANG.

Mikan's head was hit with the book Sandy was reading.

"_Lucky it's not a hardback book_," Mikan thought.

"Ouch! What did you do that for?" cried Mikan.

"Why?! I'll give you a tip, OK? Go talk to Natsume right now and say that in front of him, will you? I _can't stand_ how you could just- just say it like that! Maybe he might even hit you for me!"

"That hurts," Mikan complained.

"I'm not sorry. Go think about things you've said."

* * *

"I Figured it out, Hotaru!"

"I know. You told me that for the fifth time."

"But I really can't believe it's Natsume!"

"_Obviously_."

"You-you _knew?"_

"Who do you think gave you the hint?"

"Oh yeah. Sorry."

"The weather is rather nice today. I think I'll take a walk. Want to join?" asked Mikan.

Hotaru held up another invention of hers that looked sort of like band, which Mikan knew only too well, meant she was going to be working on it the whole evening.

Mikan was sitting on top of the tallest tree she found, of course, with the aid of her alice.

"_What did Sandy say again? Something like 'Think about things I've said'……Come to think of it, Natsume never answered my question whether he liked me. But of course, it's not true... I mean, how could it? We practically tease each other all the time. He thinks of me as an idiot. He always wants to be alone, I always want to talk to him. He's always reading a book, and I never read a book. Unless I have to of course. But... No,"_ Mikan said, shaking her head in incredulity. "Impossible!"

"Careful of falling off the branch," said a voice.

What Natsume had said had been a slight exaggeration. Mikan was sort of on the edge, but she wasn't going to fall, and besides, she had the copy-alice to protect herself in some way.

Natsume was sitting on the same level as Mikan, in a branch of a tree to her left.

"Since when were you here?" Mikan asked.

"As always, you're too slow to realize people's presence. What if you were suddenly hit from behind?"

Mikan, thinking about what Sandy said, was not really able to hear what Natsume said.

"What's wrong?"

"Concerned?" Mikan asked, mocking Natsume.

"_No_," Natsume retorted quickly. A little _too_ quick.

"Natsume, can I ask a question?"

"You already asked me, but fine. What is it?" he asked.

"Don't worry. It's not long."

"So what is it?"

"Here it is: What do you think of me?"

There was a brief pause.

"Why did you ask?" asked Natsume.

"Because… Because it's been bugging me all this time. You always acted cold towards me, but really, you _do_ care. But lately, I've been wondering, does Natsume actually _like_ me? …Not as a friend, or anything around that context."

He was silent. Nor did he move.

"I thought not. It's-It's impossible! We're very different. In almost every single way really. Could it really be possible? I really don't think so. I mean, you see, I thought, 'Natsume probably doesn't think anything of me'. 'He doesn't hate me'-That's my only confirmed fact.

"You saved me in me and Sandy's initial fight, and you even hurt her to take revenge for it. Once more you protected me with your alice on the second time we fought. They were all hints, but I'm- I'm confused. But surely- you couldn't!"

"_Couldn't?_ I don't see how I could _not_. Dense. You always have been."

"But-"

"Thickheaded."

"What?!"

"Idiotic."

"What do yo-"

"_Unbelievable._"

"Natsume, I asked you a simple question-"

"Simple? The only simple I can think of right now, is how exceedingly _simple_-minded _you _are. I suppose I shouldn't even expect you to be any more wiser, because that's only going to happen in a million years."

"Natsume, by that time, I'm _dead._"

"That's exactly the point."

Mikan sighed. "It's a yes or no question."

"What if I don't?"

"Then you don't."

"If I do?"

"You can't!" said Mikan.

"But I do."

There was complete silence.

Suddenly, droplets of rain began hitting the ground, creating a soft sound of dripping water. The rain then, after a few seconds, slowly became heavier and heavier, and continuously poured, like it never ran out of water.

"You-you -what?" asked Mikan. It wasn't that she didn't understand what he said, or didn't hear it, but because she just couldn't believe it. Natsume had probably sensed that too- that it wasn't really a question of whether he really said those, but a confirmation, as she was skeptical.

Both of them were getting wet, but strangely, it was as if neither of them even noticed that it was raining at all. After a few minutes of complete silence, except the heavy downpour of the rain, Natsume turned, and headed towards the academy. Mikan neither moved nor spoke. She decided to teleport back into her room to change and dry herself.

Somehow she felt her energy had been washed along with the rain. Mikan looked at the windows-all the raindrops dropping, rolling down the glass window. Why had it rained when the weather a few hours ago seemed … perfect?

"Mikan, are you sure you're OK?" asked Iinchou.

Mikan was in a room that was like a library- except without the librarians hushing students to keep quiet, or the signs saying "Be quiet" or "silence" or some other similar sign. Nor did they restrict food from the room. It really wasn't a library, but it was pretty much treated as one. It was a quiet place, so people who usually studied or were bored went there, either to read, think or to study, or simply to talk.

"My head hurts," Mikan complained, resting her head on the table.

"_What Natsume said is NOT true," _thought Mikan. "NOT true. NOT true," Mikan said aloud over and over again, which got the attention of a couple of students, who looked up at her curiously.

Her head was once more filled with different thoughts, different questions…

"_But what do I actually feel? What should I feel? Happy? Sad? Obviously, I couldn't help being shocked, because… Since when did Natsume even like me? It never crossed my mind, because it's unlikely. I don't think I could face him yet. It's all so…awkward."_

"Are you sure you're OK?" asked Iinchou reassuringly.

Mikan hesitated before she answered. "I don't know," she said slowly

Hotaru stood up, finished with her invention.

"Would you like me to test a new invention? It's a lie detector," she said to Mikan.

Mikan, who wasn't really listening took the invention and wore it, saying "It's a pretty bracelet for a gift Hotaru. Thanks."

Hotaru held up a small rectangular screen, reading the question:

"DID YOU OR DID YOU NOT HAVE AN ARGUMENT WITH NATSUME HYUUGA?"

"Argument? N-no. Not exactly," answered Mikan. The white band slowly turned a light shade of green.

Then, another question came up:

"ARE YOU UPSET BECAUSE OF SOMETHING HE HAS TOLD YOU?"

"U-upset? Well- sort off. And- shocked. That's all."

The band turned blue.

"WHAT ARE YOU FEELING?"

"I- I don't know," Mikan said, and once again rested her head on the desk.

The band turned red.

"You're lying," Hotaru said promptly.

"What?"

"You do know what you're feeling," Hotaru said.

"Ok- Fine. Yes, I do… But- It's- confusing…"

The band turned green.

"Hotaru, what is this thing?" asked Mikan, who was admiring the change of colors.

"I told you. It's a lie detector."

"A lie- WHAT?! Hotaru, get this thing off!" Mikan tried to pull the band off, but it wouldn't loosen up. "It won't come off!" she panicked.

"You press that button there, baka."

Mikan pressed it, and it loosened up, and Mikan quickly took it off.

"Hotaru, it's almost the same as reading my mind!" Mikan said.

"Not really. But you wore it anyway," Hotaru said, shrugging.

Mikan once again laid her head on the desk.

"I don't like it when it rains."

Hotaru raised her eyebrows.

"You've always liked rain," she said.

"That was _before_. I don't like rain anymore."

"Why?"

"Because I'm getting a headache. I'm sure it must be because of the rain."

"The rain? That's right. Blame it all on the rain. Even when _he_ told you _that_, that was still just the rain talking. It's really all the rain's fault, isn't it?" said a voice. Sandy emerged from the doorway, sitting down the seat next to her.

"You-you know?" asked Mikan apprehensively.

"When I saw you two, I already knew."

"You believe him?"

"You mean you don't?"

"No! I –I've always thought to myself that when Natsume tells that he does like me, I wouldn't know what to do. But to me, of course he doesn't. But- But he does. And I really don't know anything anymore," Mikan said.

"Well?" asked Sandy, in a tone which sounded like she demanded a reply.

"Well what?" asked Mikan.

"Well what did you say?"

"I- I asked him if it was true."

"_You asked him_? He wouldn't answer. Definitely not."

"You're right. He didn't- and- and- I feel- weird."

"Weird? In what way?" asked Sandy.

Mikan had not thought of that before, as she suddenly said it in the spur of the moment.

"It's just- awkward, if you know what I mean," answered Mikan, thinking.

Natsume entered the room along with Ruka. Somehow, Mikan felt that she wanted to talk to him again.

"Let's play truth or dare!" said Sumire all of a sudden. Everyone seemed uninterested, but suddenly, Hotaru spoke: "We can use my lie-detector."

With that single sentence, everyone suddenly seemed so eager to join.

"I WANT TO KNOW IF NATSUME-KUN LIKES ME!" yelled a voice. The room however, was too crowded to see who said it.

The last time Mikan played this was when she fought Sandy. She was getting a bit tired of it, but joined anyway.

* * *

Approximately 3/5 people in the room joined.

The bottle was spun, and to Mikan's surprise, she observed that the bottle was being controlled by an alice. The bottle was going to point towards Natsume--Mikan turned the bottle so it pointed towards the person who controlled it.

"The rules are this," Sumire spoke, interrupting the game.

"You see, let's make it clear that anyone who tries to manipulate the spin of the bottle will be disqualified. And don't try lying. We have a lie-detector for that. And guess what? It says _you_ do it," said Sumire, pointing at the girl who had controlled it.

Everyone nodded in understanding, and the person who manipulated the bottle was proven to have manipulated it by the lie-detector. She sat on a corner, frowning, mumbling something like "It's not fair...I want to know about...Natsume-kun".

The bottle was spun.

The first one was Sandy.

"Yeah?" asked Sandy.

"You're supposed to choose truth or dare," said a girl Mikan did not recognize.

"I'm not playing."

"Then why are you here?" asked a girl.

"Me? I'm a spectator," replied Sandy.

"Ok, next person," said Sumire.

The bottle was spun once more, and this time, it was Natsume.

"Dare."

"I'm making the dare," Sandy declared.

"But you're only a spectator, you can't say the dare," said the girl who had previously spoken.

"Who's to say spectators can't? I'm not playing, I'm just giving the dare."

"So what is it?" asked Natsume impatiently.

"I dare you to choose truth, and answer the question I ask truthfully," Sandy said.

"What's the point of the game when the only option is truth?" asked Natsume.

"For fun?" suggested Sandy.

"What's the question?" he asked.

"About an hour ago, you were talking to someone- a girl." Sandy started.

"So?" asked Natsume, not seeing the connection.

"The girl who you were with when it started to rain- do you like her?"

"What's it to you?"

"It's a question in Truth or Dare. You don't ask someone why they ask a question."

"Fine. I do."

The band slowly turned green.

"You do? Why?" asked Sandy interestedly.

"For a number of reasons that does not concern you."

"Care to recite your list?"

"I'm sorry, did you not hear what I said? I said it_ does not concern you_," Natsume said in indignation.

"To tell you the truth, people ask a lot of things in truth or dare that doesn't necessarily concern them. It's just pure curiosity," said Sandy.

He sighed.

"Girls are all too damn sensitive. Following you like they want your autograph then talk like they're screaming, following orders thinking like you're some higher life form or something, or they'll die if they don't. All girls who come across me act like that... All save one."

Everyone in the room was simply staring.

Mikan blushed as Natsume looked at her direction. The band turned green.

Everyone looked at each other, all with puzzled expressions.

"Is that faulty?" asked someone, pointing at the band.

Hotaru took it off Natsume, and placed it in the guy's wrist.

"Doubtful? OK. Do you sleep at classes?" asked Hotaru

"Well- Sometimes..."

The band turned blue.

"There is some truth to it," said Hotaru quietly.

"Do you eat during classes?"

"No."

The band turned red.

"You like a girl one year lower than you, right?"

"No…"

Again, it turned red.

The boy turned redder and redder as Hotaru asked each question.

"Still doubtful?"

The guy did not answer.

"Thought so," she said.

* * *

"Natsume, wait!"

"What?"

"Is that...true?"

"How many times do I have to answer that question?"

"But that can't be. You're- infuriating, most of the time. I could even say you enjoyed it," retorted Mikan.

"Aren't you infuriating too?"

"Natsume, I didn't come here to keep on arguing with you."

"Well then get to the point."

"I was going to, when you interrupted," said Mikan rather stridently.

Koko suddenly dropped his books, which resounded through the corridor. Mikan and Natsume helped pick them up.

"What do you need all those books for?" asked Mikan.

"Have you forgotten? There's a big test next next Monday."

"Yeah, but it's next next Monday. It's only Monday today. The day of the test is still a fortnight away."

He shrugged.

"It's good to be prepared," he said simply.

"It feels weird not having to use your alice on the test. Makes you feel that you're no good at all," he added.

"By the way, having an LQ?" asked Koko.

_(Note: L.Q Lover's quarrel)_

"No!" Mikan said defensively

"Just a joke, sorry. Got to go study now," he said grinning, and left.

Mikan realized that they were both alone now. Suddenly, the atmosphere turned serious.

"Continue," Natsume said to Mikan.

"You see-"

"Natsume, Sakura-san!" Ruka called out, from the door of the room, cutting off what Mikan was saying.

"'Truth or dare' is resuming, " he said.

The game started within a few minutes, and apparently, people were really interested about Mikan, whom they called the 'mysterious' girl they called 'The rain girl', apparently because the only clue they had was that she was with Natsume when it started raining.

The bottle pointed to Mikan.

"_Oh great_," she thought sarcastically.

The bottle seemed to point at everyone Mikan knew. Including her. "_Ruka-pyon might even be next._"

Was this pure coincidence or what?

"I choose truth," Mikan said promptly.

The group apparently chosen Sandy to give the question or dare, depending on what the person chosen.

"OK. My question is just this: Do you feel the same way?" asked Sandy.

"About what?" asked Mikan.

"About the you-know-what business."

"…"

"_Whether I say something or not… The band is going to show the color_," thought Mikan. She had no choice but to answer truthfully.

But does she? After everything, after how many times he annoyed her, she always managed to still be friends with him. After how many times he protected her, she didn't realize up to know really how much she appreciated it.

"I-I feel the same," Mikan said earnestly.

Then the band slowly turned green.

* * *

"Oi. Polka," Natsume said.

"W-what?" asked Mikan.

"What you said. Was it true?"

"_How many times do I have to answer that question_?" asked Mikan, imitating what Natsume had said earlier.

"So it _is_ true."

Mikan was having another stroll outside upon waking up really early. She was in the habit of that of waking early now.

She climbed up a tree, when suddenly she felt a presence… It was familiar. It was someone she knew. Then she found _him._

The old man from her dreams, and from the man she met weeks ago. The man who had previously owned her alice. In her dream, he didn't want the alice. But why? Could he possibly not want it too, even in reality?

The man was running, just like the first time she had seen him- Except he was devoid of the fear or grief she once seen him in.

Mikan followed the man. She was tired of not knowing. She was sick of guessing. The dreams the old man left her had not escaped Mikan's mind. She wanted to know why he had not explained properly. Why he had just disappeared. To Mikan he was simply the "old man", as his name, Mikan had not even discovered.

"Wait!" Mikan called out. He ran even faster. Mikan used one her alices which increased her speed, until she completely went past him, and stopped right in front of him.

He was surprised. His face was someone of 60, his face was wrinkled, but his expression was calm.

"Mikan…Mikan Sakura," the man said quietly.

"How do you know my name?" asked Mikan in surprise.

"The girl who stole my alice," he smiled.

"Oh! I'm sorry! Please- have it back. Take it."

"No.. Oh dear- no! I don't mean it that way," the old man chuckled.

"What- What do you mean?"

"No, I want you to have it. But to me, you will always be the 'girl who stole my alice'."

"Well to me, you will always be the…… the 'old man'," Mikan said apologetically.

"No need to feel sorry. I am quite old too, many people tell me. So, how have you been?"

"Eh? Me? I should be asking you that, said Mikan.

"I am old. Old people, as you may have learnt, do not really have very interesting lives much. Young people have exciting stories to tell. Tell me, how has it been?"

"…To tell you the truth, when I first came into this school… I thought the only alice I had was Nullification. Then I slowly learnt…That I also have another alice…The alice to steal others' alice... You could say I was really shocked. People might run away, might have been scared of me. But my friends never left me. They were supportive…. Then, I learnt that I had an alice, or rather, _alices_, which wasn't really how it seemed… Teleportation, super strength, and all sorts. I was confused." Mikan paused. Then she went on. "I have had many dreams. Each different, but only one message. Copy Alice copy alice copy alice. I never…I never saw that. I was really dense. I didn't know when it was all in front of me. But when I knew, I… I didn't know how I would take it. Whether I should feel guilty, happy or upset… Whether what I did to you was even right…"

"You are just like your mother."

"Eh?! You know my mother?"

"She always talked to me way back when she was young, saying how she was doing, and how "Jinno-sensei" always got her in trouble. I guess you could say I was the first person she met. I was like her second father in the academy. You two are very alike… Her personality, like yours, was very strong. She always smiled. Whenever I see you, you remind me of her."

"_He knew my mother…" _

"Who… Who are you?" asked Mikan bluntly.

"Tatsuya Nakamura."

"Why…Why did you want your alice stolen?"

"My alice is the one that shortens my life-span. I didn't want to have an alice anymore. I'd die any sooner, and I'm forever grateful for what you have done. At that time I was weakening- I needed a way for my alice to be taken away from me…"

"But you still have an alice?"

"I wasn't planning for you to steal everything. I intended, to some extent, have some left," the old man said.

"I have nullification left.. ." he continued.

"Really?" asked Mikan.

"The alice is very useful, I should not think of ever losing it."

There was complete silence. The man spoke again later, after a couple of minutes.

"Remember, use your alice well. So let this be our last meeting... Farewell," he said, and he left Mikan with a photograph lying on the ground.

It was a picture of her mother, and the old man, Tatsuya Nakamura. The occasion looked like New Year (Mikan's birthday), and there were a couple of presents in the background. Mikan could clearly see the resemblance between her and her mother…

**(A/N: finished!! I'm sorry, this really meant to be finished yesterday, but I didn't expect it would take me longer. This is the last chapter, please don't forget to review. Thanks everyone!)**


	15. Night Sky

**NOTE: If you looked at my profile, Secret Alice _was_ meant to be finished, but because I thought the ending wasn't really a proper ending, well, ok, here is the very last chapter. It's months and months late- A year already I think (whoa, that long?!), but hey, at least I could say that it is finished.**

**For the last time in this fic, Gakuen Alice is not mine. **

~Dedicated to all who reviewed~

for squishing some sense in my brain, because I wouldn't have continued without you.

* * *

_The man... Someone who knew my mother..._

Mikan was preoccupied with all the things that happened last week. What happened, may you ask?

The old man that had caused her worry, a series of nightmares and insufficient sleep actually intended her to steal his alice. He now has the Nullification Alice, and is perfectly happy.

_That's good, at least my mind's finally at peace..._

"Hey," a voice called.

Mikan kept walking, unaware of the person calling her.  
"Polka."

-And it broke through her focus, making her forget what she was just thinking.

_Natsume._

It had been 2 days ago since she last saw him and they had that truth-or-dare game with the aid of Hotaru's lie detector. It was through that that Natsume discovered that she had felt the same way about Natsume.

"Natsume?" She was glad to see him back again. He had been on a mission, so those 2 days had been dreadfully silent.

"So you're only answering to Polka now? I thought you hated it."

"Natsume, I do not have time to be playing around."

"Sorry to break your concentration, but you're heading the wrong way."

Sometimes he didn't know whether Mikan was dense or just trying to be funny. Heck, did that even make a difference? She was funny when she was dense, and she was dense when she was funny. Or did that just mean the same thing?

"Huh?"

Indeed Mikan had already passed her classroom.

"I was actually-" Mikan opened her mouth to invent an excuse when-

"No need to get all defensive." Then there was a short pause. Natsume hesitated before saying, "Let's get to class".

Unsure if she heard him right, "Did you just say-?"

Natsume took Mikan's hand. Cool and soft. A pleasant thing in the sunny weather.

"If you didn't like it then I'll take it back," he said... And together, they walked to class.

* * *

It wasn't that it was surprising to see Natsume with another girl. It was wasn't that it was surprising to see Mikan with another guy, either, but since it was them two, everyone just couldn't help staring.

Hotaru abruptly stopped working in her invention as if interrupted and was looking through the doorway, then Ruka saw this and looked, and then so did Koko, and then not long after, the whole classroom was looking.

They were holding hands like a couple, almost every girl eyeing the pair with distaste.

"What's with that look?" Koko asked Sumire.

"Mikan and Natsume-kun, huh?" Sumire said gruffly.

"What's wrong with the two of them?"

"Don't give me that tone, you know exactly what I'm thinking," hissed Sumire. Koko grinned. Of course he did, he was a mind-reader.

"Looks like you've gotta accept that-"

"I know that. I'm not like that Sandy girl," snapped Sumire.

* * *

"It's not important to know how- We know," Mr. Narumi said clearly.

"But- But- Am I really...?"

"Yes. We're sorry, but it has come to the point that you're a special star. How do you explain that to your peers? Can you still keep it secret?"

"I- I don't know. That's a lot to take in," Mikan said, taking a deep breath.

"I know it is a big step, but at some point, you'd have to tell it to your friends."

"I know. It's just... It would shock them."

"It would shock anybody. They wouldn't have thought a girl like you could be so capable," he said with a smile.

* * *

"I don't believe this," Sumire said, skeptical.

"Wow, it _is_ true. Cool, you can read my mind," Koko said.

"You can make fire?" Natsume asked. Mikan raised a finger, and a tongue of fire appeared.

"This is... But how?" Sumire asked, almost to herself.

"It's a long story... But my alice once belonged to an old man...."

They all looked lost, especially Sumire, whose face was almost white in shock.

"I told you, long story. I can do a ton of other things too, and... I'm..."

"You're?" Sumire asked.

"I'm a special star now," Mikan continued.

The room was filled with silence.

"Wow. She's not lying," Koko said in amazement.

"I had this alice a long time ago, and I wanted to keep this secret. But... I've been confused myself. For a long time I wondered what alice I stole-" Mikan looked at them, but they didn't seem to find take it very badly, just a few confused looks, but nothing like a How-can-you-steal-alices look.

"-but it feels so strange, yet so the same. The alice is now a part of me."

Mikan felt relieved, like a heavy backpack had finally been allowed to let down.

* * *

Mikan was looking at her shoes. She didn't really know quite how to say it-

"I know the last two days have been kind of... blurry, but when you- when said that you liked me-"

_I sound like an idiot_, Mikan thought, embarrassed.

"That hasn't changed."

"Still?" Mikan asked hopefully.

He sighed. "Still."

"I want to try something," Natsume said. He stood up. "Lets go somewhere."

"Where?"

"You'll see."

I looked up in the dark night sky- a thick blanket, a comforting shelter. The stars looked like embedded pearls in the night sky- its glow was gentle but still bright.

"Natsume, why-"

Then she gasped.

He shot a ball of fire at the sky, and at first she didn't understand what he was trying to do, until the fire formed the words: I love you.

"Natsume, you didn't...? Wow. Are those fireworks?"

"No," Natsume said. "It's a little bit of my own creation. I've been practicing, but I never seemed to get the 'Y' right. At least it chose the right time to be perfect."

And under the night sky, they shared a passionate kiss.

* * *

**Ok, it feels pretty weird to be switching back to third person both my 2 stories right now are first person. Like I said, this is the very last chapter of this fic. Anyway, if you review, then that would be great, but if you think you suffered the wait too much, then ok, I deserve it**.

**Just some answers to questions:**

owly-chan**- I know. It wasn't meant to be Ruka's rabbit, it was a different one.**

**Isaribi-Mai- Nope, it's not Mikan's dad. Hehe.. I choose to make him a mystery. He is an acquaintance of Mikan's mom, though.**

**Most of the other questions have already been answered, I think. ^^**


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